Nicolas Batum is a veteran point-forward who could provide the Pelicans with playmaking off the bench
The New Orleans Pelicans still have a few spots to fill to balance out their roster.
The recent additions of Steven Adams and Willy Hernangomez give the Pelicans some big depth, but they are still in need of a couple of wings. Enter Nicolas Batum.
Batum was entering the final year of a 5-year 120 million dollar contract, that he definitely didn’t live up to with the Charlotte Hornets. Until this happened:
Free agent Gordon Hayward is signing a 4-year, $120M deal with Charlotte, per source.
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) November 21, 2020
To make the Hayward deal occur under the salary cap, the Hornets decided to waive Batum and use the stretch provision on his contract. This means that Charlotte will likely pay Batum 9 million dollars for three years so the final year of his contract is met.
That makes Nicolas Batum a free agent, and one the Pelicans can sign to a fairly cheap contract since he’ll still be getting paid by the Hornets.
In addition to that, he is coming off of a season where he played only 22 games and averaged a whopping 3.6 PPG, 4.0 RPG, and 3.0 APG. Of course, the question you’re asking is why should the Pelicans want Batum and his minimal production?
Why the New Orleans Pelicans would be smart to pursue Nicolas Batum
Trust me, I still believe Batum could be a good addition to the Pelicans. Let’s not forget about his days in Portland with the Trail Blazers, and then his first two seasons in Charlotte, back when he actually earned his big-time contract.
We all know that Charlotte is not the ideal situation to be playing in, so that could have affected his play over the past two seasons. It also seems like Batum strives when he is playing alongside better players.
For example, in Portland, he played with Damian Lillard and LaMarcus Aldridge. And then early in Charlotte, he was paired with Kemba Walker and Al Jefferson. Batum fell apart when he was left alone in Charlotte.
Being able to play alongside players like Zion Williamson, Brandon Ingram, and Steven Adams could really benefit his game. After all, Batum has had multiple seasons when he’s averaged double digits in points while grabbing 5+ rebounds and dishing 5 or more assists. That’s not an easy feat to accomplish in the NBA by any means.
Yes, he is 31 years old now, but a 1-2 year deal at the league minimum couldn’t hurt. Nicolas Batum is a 6’9″ point-forward with playmaking skills and experience. If Batum comes at a fair price, the New Orleans Pelicans should do what they can to snag him.