| 06 December 2011
Before traning camp opens for the Portland Trail Blazers on Friday, and Gerald Wallace is penciled into Nate McMillan's starting line-up at small forward, take a quick glance back on Nicolas Batum's extended offseason with the French National Team at EuroBasket in Lithuania and his run in the French League and Euroleague with SLUC Nancy...
"People have shown me respect -- the coaches, the players, the refs. I've gone through some great experiences this summer with the national team and now here. When the game is on the line I want the ball. The game is in my hands. That is very good for me.
“A coach will decide what is best for his team. I am sure that a smart organization like the Blazers, they will have the videos and maybe they will ask Nicolas to do more, because he is able to do more,” said SLUC Nancy head coach Jean-Luc Monschau, when asked how the Blazers can get the most out of Batum's ability in the long run.
Portland is about to find out.
Batum isn't one to make waves. Never has been and probably never will be. If McMillan stands firm and sticks with Wallace to open the season at small forward, Batum no doubt will accept his Sixth Man role off Portland's bench, seeing shared minutes at the 3 -- perhaps even the 2 -- with Wesley Matthews. That's a one-two punch any head coach in the league would love to have. Forget the defensive fits the second unit can deliver. By Batum coming off the bench, he's much more inclined to step out of the scoring shadows of LaMarcus Aldridge.
Either way no one can argue that Batum didn't get the most out of time away from the Blazers.
Seeing is believing.
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