One name that was commonly associated with the Los Angeles Lakers over the course of the regular season was Charlotte Hornets’ forward, Nicolas Batum
Prior to wrapping up the second worst record in the Association and the second overall pick that came along with it, more realistic Lakers fans hoped that the team would somehow be able to land former Portland Trailblazer, Nicolas Batum.
Despite rehabbing from an ankle injury he suffered in Game 2 of the first round of the NBA Playoffs, Batum is currently reported to be fielding offers from the Los Angeles Lakers and the Dallas Mavericks.
Free agent small forward Nicolas Batum mulling over options, including talking with Lakers, source. He's flying from Paris to US tomorrow.
— Brad Turner (@BA_Turner) June 29, 2016
Per Brad Turner of the LA Times, the Purple and Gold seem to be having much more success with the French forward than they have had so far with Kevin Durant, subsequently triggering a reality shock for a lot of Lakers faithful.
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Traded from the Blazers after a disappointing 2014-2015 campaign to the Charlotte Hornets for Gerald Henderson and Noah Vonleh, Batum is currently an unrestricted free agent who represents the prototypical 3-and-D forward that most successful teams feature.
Averaging 14.9 points, 6.1 rebounds and 5.8 assists a game last season, Batum could also represent a bit of the veteran presence the young Lakers’ core desperately lacks. However, the biggest hangup comes in the form of Brandon Ingram playing the exact same position and doing similar things as the eighth year forward.
Assuming Luke Walton does what he’s supposed to, unlike his predecessor Byron Scott, and allows Ingram plenty of time grow and succeed in the starting lineup, this would likely mean Batum would hold the role of sixth man, which is currently held by Lou Williams.
Another option would be moving Clarkson to the bench and having Batum play shooting guard, again assuming that Batum would likely prefer a situation comparable, if not better than his last season with the Hornets. Additionally, a Batum signing could signal a possible move of either Nick Young and/or Lou Williams which wouldn’t be a bad thing in the least.
Batum has shot 36 percent from three on his career which would desperately help the Lakers who were near dead last in three point shooting last season and begin to fill the holes in roster which currently resembles swiss cheese more than anything else.
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Sadly, with the KD and LeBron James pipe dreams finally wiped from existence, the Lakers must now turn their gaze to more realistic options, starting with players just like Nicolas Batum.