When healthy, Charlotte Hornets guard Nicolas Batum is one of the better two-way wings in the NBA. He has the ability to score for himself and set up teammates while pitching in on the glass, making him one of the rare all-around talents in the NBA.
However, we haven’t had an opportunity to see him so far this season as he has been sidelined ever since tearing the UCL in his left elbow on October 4th. Now nearly a month into the campaign, head coach Steve Clifford revealed that he expects Batum to finally make his debut tonight against the Cleveland Cavaliers. Following from Charlotte Observer’s Rick Bonnell:
Barring a “drastic” and unexpected setback, Nic Batum will play — and start — Wednesday against the Cleveland Cavaliers in the Charlotte Hornets’ nationally-televised home game Wednesday.
“He did a ton yesterday, and he feels good today,” Clifford said. “He feels good and he looks good.”
With Nicolas Batum inactive for the first dozen contests, the Hornets deployed much more of Jeremy Lamb and Dwayne Bacon than they might’ve liked while rookie Malik Monk also got an early taste of heavy minutes.
Struggling in the East with a 5-7 record, the Hornets desperately need the production and playmaking of Batum on one of the wings opposite the defensive-oriented Michael Kidd-Gilchrist.
This will be Batum’s third season with the Hornets after suiting up for the Portland Trail Blazers during his first seven years as a pro. Batum posted solid per-game averages of 15.1 points while handing out 5.9 assists and corralling 6.2 rebounds in 77 games with Charlotte last season.
