Nicolas Batum: The Charlotte Hornets’ Biggest Offseason Acquisition
After failing to make the playoffs during the 2014-15 campaign, the Charlotte Hornets made a few notable moves during the offseason. They sent Lance Stephenson to the Los Angeles Clippers for Spencer Hawes; drafted Frank Kaminsky, signed Jeremy Lin and traded Gerald Henderson and Noah Vonleh for Nicolas Batum.
And during the preseason, Hornets owner Michael Jordan stated that he felt Lin would be the team’s biggest offseason acquisition in an interview with Xinhua News Agency:
"“We just got Jeremy Lin, who I think is going to be our biggest acquisition. His penetration, his shooting capability, his point guard savvy, he can really pass the basketball; his energy about the game of basketball is something.”"
While Lin received high praise from arguably one of the greatest NBA players to ever lace up a pair of basketball sneakers, the biggest offseason pickup for the Hornets has been Batum. Not only does he lead Charlotte in scoring at 17.7 points per game, he is also second on the team in both rebounding (6.5) and assists (3.8).
Furthermore, Batum leads the Hornets in minutes played per outing (34.2); ranks third on the team in field goal percentage (.469) and first in three-point shooting (.444). And over the past week, Batum continued to solidify his case for being the Hornets’ new number one option on offense.
How well has Batum played during the recent stretch of outings? In one word: exceptional.
For example, Batum ranked fifth in the Eastern Conference in scoring with 25.5 points per game. He led the conference in three-point field goals made with 15, and he was ranked third in field goals made per contest with 9.25, per NBA.com.
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Along with his recent scoring surge, Batum also posted impressive averages of 6.0 rebounds and 3.0 assists per game. And if these numbers are not enough to get you excited, it is also worth mentioning that he was the only player in the league to record over 100 points, 20 boards and 10 dimes while knocking down more than 10 field goals from distance as he converted 15 of his 26 attempts (57.7 percent), which was the fifth best mark in the conference per Basketball.RealGM.com. Simply put, Batum is lighting it up to say the least and he is a big reason why the Hornets have won three of their last four games.
Although his scoring output of 24 and 28 points against the New York Knicks and the Chicago Bulls was impressive, Batum saved his best performance of the week for his former team: the Portland Trail Blazers.
In that contest he scored 33 points on an efficient 11-for-19 from the floor, to go along with six assists and five rebounds in a season-high 39 minutes of action. And as a result of his outstanding play, Batum was named Eastern Conference Player of the week, the first time he has won the award during his eight-year career.
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So even though both Lin (11.5 PPG / 2.9 APG) and Jeremy Lamb (13.3 PPG / 4.4 RPG) — who has been described as an unsung hero of this team — are playing well, it is Batum who has been leading the team’s recent charge. And as long as he continues to shine in his new role as the primary scoring option, there is no reason why the Hornets cannot compete for a playoff spot in what is shaping up to be a competitive eastern conference.