Charlotte Hornets: What if Nicolas Batum declined his player-option?
As the Charlotte Hornets head into the 2020 offseason, one player will be set to make a lot of money.
The NBA does not have a date set for the 2020 offseason, but the league is coming up with a plan. However, the Charlotte Hornets will be set to pay someone a lot of money this offseason.
Heading into the 2020-2021 season, Nicolas Batum will be the highest-paid player on the team. However, Batum will only make this money if he accepts his $27 million dollar player-option.
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When it comes to making a decision like this, it’s usually a no-brainer. Fans know that next season will likely be the last season Batum plays for Charlotte, and he could also never see a minute of court time next season.
No player would ever decline a deal like this, but Batum has to want to play basketball again. Could the thought of never playing a minute next season affect his decision? It could affect it; however, it would be foolish of him to give up free money.
Fans may laugh at the title of this article, but I would add that Nic Batum’s personal thoughts will also affect his player-option decision On March 4th, Batum issued an apology to fans in an interview with the Charlotte Observer; his apology was for being an “overpaid Hornets cheerleader.”
Batum told the Charlotte Observer that the Hornets have a bright future and that he does not see himself being a part of it. Batum noted that he knows fans expected a lot of him after signing a 5-year $120 million dollar contract in 2016; however, Batum understands that he let fans down.
Since Batum’s contract guarantees him $292,683 per game, fans have remained upset over his lack of production. In the 2019-20 season, Batum averaged 3.6 points, 3.0 assists per game, and 4.5 rebounds per game; these are career lows; he’s set to become an unrestricted free agent in 2021.
Moreover, Batum offered a lot of praise to his teammates in his interview with the Charlotte Observer. Fans understand that Batum is a team player, and he’s someone who avoids drama. He also made sure to let fans know that was not selfish.
So with those thoughts, it has to make fans wonder the “what if” question. It’s highly doubtful that Batum would decline his player-option, and it would be shocking if he ends up doing it.
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If Batum accepts his player-option, he will likely spend next season on the bench, which hurts another young player’s opportunity to make the roster. He would also likely be a buyout candidate next season.
A buyout will likely occur next season if he remains with the team following the offseason. In February, the Hornets completed buyouts with two of their veterans, Marvin Williams and Michael Kidd-Gilchrist.
However, if Batum declines his player-option, he would be doing Charlotte a huge favor. With the current expiring contracts, the Hornets would have about $57 million in cap space; this would be the most offseason cap space the team has seen in a long time.
As a player who has good intentions, would Nic Batum consider not accepting his player-option? Regardless of what happens, Batum will likely be spending some time with a new team next season.
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The Hornets will finally be free of cap room issues following next season. When the NBA finally resumes everything, fans should be in for a treat, as the Hornets look to be trending in a positive direction.