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NBA Rumors: Nicolas Batum trade is a real possibility

By Josh Hill

Mar 7, 2015; Minneapolis, MN, USA; Portland Trail Blazers forward Nicolas Batum (88) looks on during the first half against the Minnesota Timberwolves at Target Center. Mandatory Credit: Jesse Johnson-USA TODAY Sports
Mar 7, 2015; Minneapolis, MN, USA; Portland Trail Blazers forward Nicolas Batum (88) looks on during the first half against the Minnesota Timberwolves at Target Center. Mandatory Credit: Jesse Johnson-USA TODAY Sports /
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The Portland Trail Blazers are trying o figure out how to become winners, and trading Nicolas Batum might be part of the solution. 

Last year, when the Portland Trail Blazers looked like NBA Finals favorites early in the season, their core Big 3 was the talk of the town. The drama between the front office and LaMarcus Aldridge was over, Damien Lillard was looking unstoppable and Nicolas Batum was nicely rounding out the Big 3.

A year later and that Big 3 might be down to just one at the start of the 2015-16 season. LaMarcus Aldridge is a free agent this summer and is expected to hear big offers from teams like the Celtics, Cavaliers, Spurs and Mavericks. Meanwhile, Nicolas Batum seems to be expendable and on the trading block — at least, the possibility of that happening has increased.

As pointed out by The Oregonian’s Joe Freeman, the Trail Blazers trading Batum last year seemed like a far-fetched idea but it’s well within the realm of possibilities now.

Portland trading away Batum seems like a good idea if you’re going to have to tear things down and build them back up around Lillard. Batum has a massive contract that the Blazers wouldn’t mind dumping on someone else and they’d get a decent return for him as well as flexibility to sign a decent free agent replacement.

Then again, there’s a big chance that the Blazers keep Batum and Lillard, losing only Aldridge out of their Big 3. So far, that boisterous Big 3 has produced no Conference Finals appearances and not even a hint of hope at winning the NBA Finals.

Trading Batum after losing in the first-round of the postseason like the team did this year is a knee-jerk reaction, but the NBA is built on those and we can’t count it out until Batum is on the roster next season.

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