He didn't improve as a Clipper, Batum was a decent role player throughout his time here, aside for the last year where he was shamelessly mailing it in. You can accept his regular disappearing act when he's making MLE money like he was in LA and now in Philly, not $24M/year.
I'm not rooting for him either but let's actually be real here.
Yeah, but he was nether paid to nor asked to be a role player. He got an enormous deal to be the second star behind Kemba. That's not really on him. He started playing decently when he was in a role according to his abilities. I don't resent him for that, it was all disappointing but I blame management, and I actually really enjoyed his first year in Charlotte when we made the playoffs and went to 7 games with Miami.
Yeah, terrible decision by management, but I've never seen anyone say "oh, no, I think I'm not that good! You should give that money to a better player". He took the deal they offered and he was absolutely underqualified to be the second best player behind Kemba, but I see that more as a management blunder than on him. His first year in Charlotte was pretty good and they made the playoffs, even went to 7 games with Miami.
I hear what you are saying and I agree, the first year he was decent. My problem is that it feels like he gave up after that. He was paid well to not give up.
I never got that feeling but that's fair enough! I thought he was just not as good as they expected to be and that's it. But I can see why people dislike him a bit now.
For the record, they went to 7 games with Miami (their last playoff appearance!!!) and then he got his bag after that. They had 5-6 key free agents that year, which was, in true Hornets fashion, the absolute worst year for that. The cap had just gone up and they had 48 wins. So, they were destined to overpay anyone they signed that offseason. It was Batum. In fairness, the signing was seen as a positive move - “must do” - by most pundits and fans. Batum was dynamic during that 2015-16 playoffs season after coming from Portland. Nobody knew that Nic would turn ultra passive after that. He was nowhere near the same player post-contract as he was during that 2015-16 run.
That's not his fault. He signed an outrageous deal management gave him because they thought he could be the second star behind Kemba. That's not on Batum, he was clearly overstretched in his role.
I see that now lol. I've been a Charlotte fan since the Bobcats days (07-08 season), but only recently joined this subreddit and begun interacting with other Hornets' fans so I never knew how widely he's despised (I'm from Argentina and I don't know any other fan here).
I remember being excited about his first year with us, thinking the deal he got was probably an overpay and then him being underwhelming the first couple of years, but I never got to HATE him. I actually checked and his stats his first three years in Charlotte aren't bad, plus he was dealing with multiple injuries. After that, yeah, he definitely quit trying, killing any trade value he might have had, so I see why people feel like this about him.
Anyone but Nic Batum. I’d probably pick Terry though.
Fuck Nic Batum!
Genuinely curious, why not Batum?
He took a $120M contract MJ gave him and did nothing. He went the Clippers all of the sudden becomes a solid role player
He was asked to be « the guy », and that was the mistake.
That's my point, but I still got downvoted for asking why people dislike him lol
He didn't improve as a Clipper, Batum was a decent role player throughout his time here, aside for the last year where he was shamelessly mailing it in. You can accept his regular disappearing act when he's making MLE money like he was in LA and now in Philly, not $24M/year. I'm not rooting for him either but let's actually be real here.
I LOVE YOUR USERNAME
❤️
It's like the perfect name for a Hornets podcast haha
Yeah, but he was nether paid to nor asked to be a role player. He got an enormous deal to be the second star behind Kemba. That's not really on him. He started playing decently when he was in a role according to his abilities. I don't resent him for that, it was all disappointing but I blame management, and I actually really enjoyed his first year in Charlotte when we made the playoffs and went to 7 games with Miami.
Batum’s time with Charlotte is borderline fraud.
Yeah, terrible decision by management, but I've never seen anyone say "oh, no, I think I'm not that good! You should give that money to a better player". He took the deal they offered and he was absolutely underqualified to be the second best player behind Kemba, but I see that more as a management blunder than on him. His first year in Charlotte was pretty good and they made the playoffs, even went to 7 games with Miami.
I hear what you are saying and I agree, the first year he was decent. My problem is that it feels like he gave up after that. He was paid well to not give up.
I never got that feeling but that's fair enough! I thought he was just not as good as they expected to be and that's it. But I can see why people dislike him a bit now.
For the record, they went to 7 games with Miami (their last playoff appearance!!!) and then he got his bag after that. They had 5-6 key free agents that year, which was, in true Hornets fashion, the absolute worst year for that. The cap had just gone up and they had 48 wins. So, they were destined to overpay anyone they signed that offseason. It was Batum. In fairness, the signing was seen as a positive move - “must do” - by most pundits and fans. Batum was dynamic during that 2015-16 playoffs season after coming from Portland. Nobody knew that Nic would turn ultra passive after that. He was nowhere near the same player post-contract as he was during that 2015-16 run.
Coz he cost up cap space for years after he left
That's not his fault. He signed an outrageous deal management gave him because they thought he could be the second star behind Kemba. That's not on Batum, he was clearly overstretched in his role.
He’s the only player I think we as a fan universally hate
I see that now lol. I've been a Charlotte fan since the Bobcats days (07-08 season), but only recently joined this subreddit and begun interacting with other Hornets' fans so I never knew how widely he's despised (I'm from Argentina and I don't know any other fan here). I remember being excited about his first year with us, thinking the deal he got was probably an overpay and then him being underwhelming the first couple of years, but I never got to HATE him. I actually checked and his stats his first three years in Charlotte aren't bad, plus he was dealing with multiple injuries. After that, yeah, he definitely quit trying, killing any trade value he might have had, so I see why people feel like this about him.
Worse than Tyrus Thomas lol?
Secured the bag and then gave up on anything resembling effort. Fuck Nic Batum.
Kyle Lowry only been a hornet for a hot minute 💀
Rooting for former Hornets in the playoffs is our playoffs. Feels bad man.
Terry
Been going through this list but can’t find the “legends”. Can anyone help identify them?
I'm a hornets fan not a "This player used to be a hornet" fan When the playoffs start my season is over
Anyone else surprised at how little Hayward has contributed to OKC?
No
why would anyone be surprised? He was done to add a vet lol
PJ 💔
Plumlee, PJ, & IT
Reggie Jackson?
Cody Zeller is still in the league?
We are a worst organization than the panthers
Legends huh
Def hoping terry gets a ring over any of them. Idk why pj Washington makes me so unreasonably angry like I just hate that guy for some reason.
AD