Philadelphia 76ers Off-Season Patrolling The Perimeter: Batum or Barnes

Batum? Oui!

The Philadelphia 76ers just had an upfront and personal view of the Charlotte Hornet’s small forward, Nicholas Batum.  In two games, Batum rang up 38 points on 48% shooting from the floor, with 15 rebounds and 19 assists.  It seemed the only thing that was not working for him was his three point shooting, where he shot a mere 27%.  But for the season, he drops those shots in at nearly a 40% pace.  While Batum is in his seventh year of the NBA (which is slightly over the four-five year window we expect is being targeted by the Sixers), he has been a very productive veteran.  His season averages with the Hornets are 15.1 points per game, 5.8 assists, 6.3 rebounds, .6 blocks and .9 steals per game.   Batum is a wing man, as he has played both small forward and shooting guard for much of his seven year NBA career.

He’s due to show up as a free agent in 2016.  But his is a superior skill-set in a seller’s market, as virtually all NBA teams will be shopping for wing men.  The talent is there, and has always been there.  He is a player who has all the right skill sets to succeed in the NBA.  He’s productive on offense, and productive on defense.  But the talk of max contracts may have reached his ear, and priced him awfully high for what he delivers.  Experts who talk about Batum never question his abilities to excel in the NBA, but they do question his heart.  That creates a risk for the Sixers, who will clearly need to overpay for the player to sign him, which could infect the locker room.   If he could show fortitude on a Sixers team which needs the steadying hand of a veteran like Carl Landry or Elton Brand , he could be ideal to bring on board even at a max short term deal.   That would allow the Sixers to amp up their overall competitiveness, give an insightful player to the rookies who will take over at wing eventually, and give Batum a quick but solid payday.

But it’s certainty that the Hornets will let Batum test the free agency market without a push to resign him.

"“On the court he’s such a great player – his playmaking ability, his leadership ability, he can score the basketball. And it’s not just at the offensive end. He keeps us organized defensively and can guard so many different positions. And he’s been a leader in the locker room all year long.” – Charlotte Hornets teammate Marvin Williams discussing Batum’s impact."

Batum has contributed solidly to the Charlotte Hornets, and as such would likely be given a priority of resigning with the team.  But if he holds fast on his salary expectations in this weak market for wings, he will likely be moving to a new team to find that kind of money.   The Philadelphia 76ers are one of the few teams who can give it easily.  Keeping the contract to a short one or two year deal should allow the Sixers to develop his replacement while he earns enough to stockpile for the next move to a championship caliber team.

Next: Closing the Barnes door