Charlotte Hornets guard/forward Nicolas Batum set a career high in points per game (15) this past season while averaging a robust 5.8 assists, 6.1 rebounds and playing his usual suffocating defense. As a result, it surprised no one when Hornets general manager Rich Cho said that re-signing the pending free agent will be his No. 1 priority this offseason.
In addition to Batum, the Hornets are also trying to figure out how they can bring back center Al Jefferson, point guard Jeremy Lin and several others that are scheduled to hit the open market on July 1. But Batum comes first.
"He knows that. We told him that in our exit interview," Cho said in a recent interview. "We love having him here, thought he did a great job this year. He had a few injuries, but overall he did a great job at both ends of the floor. He also did a great job in the locker room."
Batum played in 70 games this past season, his first in Charlotte after seven years with the Portland Trail Blazers. A 2008 first-rounder, Batum helped push the Hornets to just their third post-season appearance since 2009.
The 27-year-old free agent noted that Charlotte will be his first call in free agency.
"I want to talk to them (the Hornets) first, for sure," he said. "July 1 will be a crazy day, but will Charlotte be my first call? Yes."
With the salary cap set to spike for next season, more than half of the league's teams will have enough space to sign a marquee free agent such as Batum. A handful of teams will likely express interest in him on July 1. To keep him in town, Cho may have to offer Batum a max deal starting around $25 million.
But remember, Charlotte has a handful of other free agents to deal with as well, including Troy Daniels, Jorge Gutierrez, Tyler Hansbrough, Courtney Lee, Marvin Williams, Jefferson and Lin.
We'll see how it all plays out when free agency officially opens on July 1.
Follow Brandon Katz at @Great_Katzby
