NBA Free Agents 2012: Can Spurs Make a Run at Nicolas Batum?

It may seem a bit like putting the cart before the horse, what with the playoffs just beginning and all. But you can bet the San Antonio Spurs have at least one eye on the impending free-agent class, specifically Portland's Nicolas Batum.

Batum, a 6'8, 200 lb wing monster, looks like a pterodactyl running around on the court—and a pterodactyl that's really good at basketball at that. The 23-year-old averaged 13.9 points and 4.6 rebounds per game for the waffling Blazers this past season. He was also good for over a steal and a block every night and is growing in reputation as a superior defensive player.

The Spurs appear to have interest in Tony Parker's friend and countryman and are apparently poised to make a run at him come July 1.

The move makes sense for San Antonio for a variety of reasons. For starters, Parker and Batum are tight and have played together before on the French National team. There will be a familiarity there which will allow the team not to have to worry that much about getting Batum involved.

Also, while the Spurs are deep on the wing, none of their wing players are particularly special. Rookie Kawhi Leonard is a nice player but not on Batum's level. Danny Green has come out of nowhere to start at the 2 but also is an inferior player to Batum. Stephen Jackson is on the other side of the hill and likely won't be back in San Antonio next season. And Manu Ginobili isn't getting any younger.

Batum said last week that, "the Spurs play well together. They share the ball and do everything the right way."

He also told CSNNW.com that he thought for sure he was headed to San Antonio in the 2008 draft and was "shocked" when he was selected by Houston a couple of spots earlier. 

Add all of that to the fact that the Blazers couldn't re-sign Batum before the Jan. 25 deadline for teams to keep their own players from restricted free agency and his agent's subsequent statement that Batum will "look at the other 29 teams before we'll talk to the Blazers," come July 1, and the writing appears to be on the wall.

The Spurs would be wise to make this investment. Batum is young, wildly athletic and a clear bridge to the future along with Parker, Leonard, big men Tiago Splitter and DaJuan Blair and guard Gary Neal.

Given the age and amount of tread on the tires of Ginobili and Tim Duncan, signing Batum would be a clear move toward rebuilding on the fly as opposed to having to blow anything up.

Parker led the Spurs to another 60-win season and No. 1 seed out West with Ginobili and Duncan either hurt, limited or playing far fewer minutes than in past years. With a young up-and-comer like Batum running alongside of him, who's to say the Spurs can't be even better next year?