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Nicolas Batum Needs To Bounce Back in 2015-16

By Chris Kirby

March 4, 2015; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Portland Trail Blazers forward Nicolas Batum (88) reacts after scoring a three point basket to tie the game against the Los Angeles Clippers during the second half at Staples Center. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports
March 4, 2015; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Portland Trail Blazers forward Nicolas Batum (88) reacts after scoring a three point basket to tie the game against the Los Angeles Clippers during the second half at Staples Center. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports /
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Now that the Portland Trail Blazers season has ended, it is time to look forward to the offseason. The team has eight players that will exploring their options in free agency. Luckily, the Blazers were able to get an extended look at players such as C.J. McCollum and Meyers Leonard as the team struggled through a ridiculous amount of injuries.

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On the opposite side of the coin, the team watched as one of their mainstays had trouble gaining traction all season long – Nicolas Batum.

Since his rookie season, Batum has had a reputation as a great defender with three-point range. He is long, athletic, and he can do a little bit of everything. Coming off a career season in 2013-14, the Blazers had high hopes for the French forward going into 2014-15. Unfortunately, he took a step back on the offensive end and he produced the most inconsistent season of his six-year career.

Batum started the season on the wrong foot (37.8 percent on field goal attempts, 22.0 percent from long distance during the month of November) and he never truly recovered. He didn’t score 20 points in a game until Jan. 21 against the Memphis Grizzlies, and he finished the season with four 20-point games all together.

He began to find his stride late in the season, putting together a solid month during March. Despite averaging 10.7 points, 7.1 rebounds and 5.3 assists per-game (while shooting 46.5 percent from the field and 43.3 percent from beyond the arc), he still never produced on offense like he did last season.

Batum finished the season averaging 9.4 points (on 40.0 percent shooting from the field; 32.4 percent from behind the three-point line), 5.9 rebounds and 4.8 assists per-game. His scoring average dropped 3.6 points per-game compared to 2013-14, and he had the worst shooting season of his career. He also attempted only 8.5 shots per-game (his lowest since 2009-10), after taking 10.0 attempts per-contest last season.

"“I can say this was my toughest (season). I didn’t play the way I used to play. I was thinking too much. This offseason I just have to relax and work on my game and just have a different approach for next year. I gotta change some of my routines — my offseason routine, my in-season routine. I’ll be fine. I’m gonna learn from it.”  –Nic Batum on 2015 NBA season via OregonLive"

The biggest difference in his game was the fact that he struggled to find his way to the paint this season, taking only 128 shots within six feet of the hoop, after taking 213 shots from that range in 2014. He was limited to taking a lot of perimeter shots and he couldn’t find the bottom of the net.

Of course, he is still a successful corner shooter, but he couldn’t get anything to drop from the shoulders or the top of the key.

He needs to have the ball in his hands in order to make a play and that didn’t happen enough for Batum this season. He is only a 29.8 percent shooter from three-point range on catch and shoot attempts. When he is able to set up his shot with three to six dribbles, his shooting percentage jumps all the way up to 53.8 percent.

He is a great player when he is allowed to create for himself, but a big part of Terry Stotts’ flow offense has to do with ball movement that leads to catch and shoot situations. Plus, Batum needs to be more assertive and be willing to pick and choose his spots if he is going to make an impact scoring the ball.

Regardless of the fact that he struggled so badly in the scoring department, he still found a way to make an impact in other ways while on the court.

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    • He is still one of the most versatile players in the league (Blake Griffin, LeBron James and Russell Westbrook were the only other players that averaged 5.9 rebounds and 4.8 assists per-game in 2014-15) and he is one hell of a defender (holding opponents to 32.3 percent on their three-point attempts).

    He actually found more of a rhythm after the All-Star break, shooting 45.2 percent from the field, but the team will need to see a more consistent effort from Nicolas if they are going to contend next season.

    Batum will be entering the final season of his four-year contract, which will pay him $11.86 million. If there is one player on the Blazers that will be motivated to have a big season and prove their doubters wrong, my money would be on Nico — if nothing else, he should be chasing another big money extension.

    Depending on what happens with LaMarcus Aldridge and Wesley Matthews, he could end up being the second or third option on offense, so the Blazers will need him to step him game up. If he comes out playing the same way, his name will be in trade rumors all year long. When you factor in his expiring contract with his versatile play, he would be a hot name on the market.

    Hopefully, he starts playing with a chip on his shoulder and looks a little more like Batman on the court, rather than Robin.

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