RC to Batum: You will be in Silver and Black

The other day in l'equipe, Nicolas Batum is looking back at his rookie season. He mentions that at the end of the last game against the spurs RC buford came to see him to say "you will soon be in silver and black"

Here is a rapid translation of the interesting part:

individually it was a good year too, because i played a lot, more than i imagined at the beginning of the year. 18 mn per game, i imagined it only in the D-league. Not in the NBA. I was a starter for 76 games during regular season on a winning team, it s pretty good. I am happy and apparently it was noticed. Blazers were happy and the spurs still follow me. After our last game at San antonio, RC buford came to tell me "you will soon be in black and silver". but i am fine in Portland. I have still a lot of progress to do. I need to be more proactive in offense, more powerfull too. i gained 6kilos (13 pounds) during the season and the club can't believe it. But i was 93 kilos when i got here and finished the season at 99. I still need to gain more without loosing fluidity. But i hold up better. I knew i improved when guys like D west tried to push me and i did not move. I am strong now...

A un niveau personnel, cela a aussi été une bonne année, car j'ai beaucoup joué, ce qui était quand même inespéré en début d'année. 18 minutes par match, je ne l'imaginais qu'en D-League. Pas en NBA. J'ai été 76 fois titulaire durant la saison régulière, dans une équipe qui gagne, c'est bien. Je suis content. Et apparemment, cela a plu. Les Blazers sont contents, et les Spurs(qui le voulaient le soir de la draft) me suivent toujours. Après notre dernier match à San Antonio, RC Buford (le manager des Spurs) est venu me voir pour me dire : 'Tu seras bientôt en noir et argent.' Mais je suis bien à Portland... J'ai encore beaucoup de progrès à faire. Je dois devenir plus présent en attaque. Plus puissant aussi. J'ai pris 6 kilos durant la saison et ils ont du mal à y croire au club. Mais j'étais à 93 kilos en arrivant et j'ai fini la saison à 99 kilos. Je dois encore en prendre, sans perdre ma fluidité. Mais je résiste mieux. J'ai su que j'avais bien progressé lorsqu'un type comme David West a essayé de me bouger et je n'ai pas bronché. Je suis costaud maintenant...»

I think this is wishfull thinking on RC's part. Blazers really like this guy.

The only question I have is this: Does the league consider this to be tampering?

manufan10 wrote:The only question I have is this: Does the league consider this to be tampering?

Technically yes, they would. Would they ever do anything about it? No.

I don't think they really can do anything about it, can they? It's just word of mouth, and I don't know if they could actually prove that RC even said that. That brings up another question I was thinking about earlier.. Is RC dumb enough to say something like that? I mean did he really say that? Would he be willing to cause the Spurs to lose a draft pick or give compensation for a comment like that?

Yes please. Maybe when he gets in the FA he will come here.

more than likely it will not happen, i agree portland likes him too much and they have nothing to gain by releasing any talent right now.