The Portland Trail Blazers have had two No. 25 selections in franchise history, this year marking the third. The first was Alaa Abdelnaby in 1990, the second being Nic Batum in 2008. Abdelnaby’s career in Portland was very forgettable, Batum’s significantly less so. As the saying goes, you have to crack a few eggs to make an omelette.
After going No. 25 overall in the 2008 draft class that starred Derrick Rose, Russell Westbrook and Kevin Love, Batum would likely go No. 6 in a theoretical redraft scenario. Coming in just after DeAndre Jordan and Brook Lopez, Batum has carved a rather successful career in the league for himself.
Batum was a steady contributor for the Blazers during his seven season in Portland, averaging 11.2 points and 5.3 rebounds per game. Instead of forcing things, Batum allowed the game to flow naturally and served as a complementary player to stars like Brandon Roy, LaMarcus Aldridge and Damian Lillard.
Never one to whine or complain about his role, Batum played second (or third… or fourth) fiddle to perfection. It was only when his play took a significant dip in 2015 that the Blazers decided to pull the trigger and traded Batum to the Hornets in return for Gerald Henderson and Noah Vonleh. The Portland Trail Blazers received a big smack of karma to the face when Henderson averaged a very inefficient 8.7 points per game before leaving in free agency and Vonleh ended up being a project that would never pan out.
Meanwhile, Batum went on to prove a change of scenario was the all the Frenchman needed to showcase his abilities. The next two seasons Batum would average 15 points, 6.2 rebounds and 5.8 assists per game, helping Kemba Walker and making an appearance in the 2016 NBA Playoffs.
Batum played so well in fact, Charlotte proudly handed him a five-year, $120 million contract… We all know how that story ended. Forced to carry 24 million burdens per year on his shoulders led to inevitable disappointment from the fans as their ridiculous expectations were let down. No longer would Batum be seen as the overseas success story and productive player for many playoff teams; no, now he was an albatross contract tainting the league.
Don’t fear, for the Portland Trail Blazers never forgot your value Nic. For there’s potential for a reunion in this evening’s forecast as the Blazers look to capitalize on the Hornets’ desperation.