No. 5 Nicolas Batum
Total SG rating: 26
Batum could be regarded as a small forward, looking back on his previous seven seasons at Portland. Wesley Matthews was the routine shooting guard, but ever since he was dealt to Charlotte this past summer, he has been playing most of his minutes at shooting guard.
Nonetheless his “true” position, you cannot take away the great season that Batum has had thus far. His 16.3 points, 5.3 rebounds and 5.2 assists per game averages are all career-high numbers. As a result, the Hornets have gotten off to a better start than was expected.
As of right now, the Hornets have struggled losing four-straight games to give them a .500 record of 17-17 — 10th best in the Eastern Conference. Not too long ago, they were as high as second-place, but injuries have begun to creep up to them.
After being the third or fourth option in Portland for years, Batum has now proven he can be a successful number one or number two guy who can put up consistent averages. His name has been mentioned during All-Star voting and deservedly so. He is a player who can contribute in every facet.
Next: No. 4