NBA Rumors: Trail Blazers Won't Regret Handling of Nicolas Batum

The Portland Trail Blazers did their best to get backup forward Nicolas Batum signed to an extension, but they were unable to get a deal done by the time the Wednesday deadline rolled around.

The writing was on the wall that the two sides weren't going to be able to get a deal done several hours before the deadline passed. The Oregonian reported that Batum and the Blazers simply couldn't find a "middle ground" in their negotiations.

With no extension in place, Batum will become a restricted free agent on July 1, at which point he'll be able to talk turkey with other teams.

Batum's agent, Bouna Ndiaye, warned that this is exactly what he and Batum are going to do. "When Batum becomes a restricted free agent, we'll look at the other 29 teams before we talk to the Blazers," Ndiaye told CSNNW.com. "The Blazers had their chance."

Ndiaye also accused the Blazers of making Batum a "low-ball offer."

If I didn't know any better, I'd say that things must have gotten heated between the two sides at the last minute. Ndiaye didn't sound very pleased about not being able to get a deal done.

That makes one wonder if the Blazers are going to regret the way they handled Batum's extension negotiations. Is it possible that they missed their one and only chance to keep Batum around for the immediate future?

Um, no.

This situation is not as dramatic as Batum's agent made it out to be. If the Blazers want to keep Batum around, they merely need to make him a qualifying offer, watch him become a restricted free agent and then match whichever offer sheet he signs.

It's all pretty simple, and Blazers president Larry Miller indicated to The Oregonian that he's not too worried about the process. "If we don't (extend Batum) ... he's restricted, so we can always match,'' Miller said.

Indeed, and it's not like Batum is going to attract outrageous offer sheets. Guys who come off the bench to provide 10 points and about four rebounds per game are not worth kingly sums.

If a team does present Batum with an offer that the Blazers aren't willing to match, well, so be it. Losing Batum will be a blow, but it wouldn't be a franchise-killing blow.

The Blazers demonstrated on Wednesday that they don't want to make a deal they're uncomfortable with. That's true now, and it will be true later.

In short, the Batum situation is simple business. No hard feelings, despite what Ndiaye seems to want people to think.