20 best NBA Draft trades ever
By John Buhler
18. Nicolas Batum from Houston Rockets to Portland Trail Blazers.
In the pace and space era of the NBA, soon-to-be free agent win Nicolas Batum has become increasingly valuable at a premium position like small forward. Batum has made a career for himself as a strong, outside shooter than can ignite an up-tempo offense.
While he had a bounce back year in 2015-16 with the Charlotte Hornets, Batum is best known for the seven years he spent playing in the Pacific Northwest for the Portland Trail Blazers. The French sharpshooter was 36.0% from beyond the arc in Portland, but could have been a member of the Houston Rockets.
In the 2008 NBA Draft, the Rockets selected Batum with the No. 25 overall pick. Houston would promptly trade Batum to Portland for the draft rights to Darrell Arthur and Joey Dorsey. Batum has become a maximum salary type of player in his mid-20s, while neither Arthur or Dorsey have had anywhere near the impact in the NBA.
Portland was able to turn its fortune around in Batum’s last two years with the Trail Blazers thanks to his solid contributions in the Portland starting lineup. Houston is still looking for an ideal catch-and-shoot player to put alongside James Harden and could have had Batum as far back as in 2009, Batum’s first year in the NBA.
Next: 17. Brandon Roy from Minnesota Timberwolves to Portland Trail Blazers.