Batum, possible heart problem

[winsomme]

i really like this kid as a prospect.

sounds like he has had a rough past with his Dad passing away and now he may have a heart problem

http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/draft2008/news/story?id=3454367

[nickagneta]

Lots of unanswered questions there and what happened may be a glitch as he has never experienced it before. And if his dad died of an aneurysm that has nothing to do with Batum's stress test.

Time and more medical tests will tell but it could drop him down to the Celtics.

[winsomme]

Lots of unanswered questions there and what happened may be a glitch as he has never experienced it before. And if his dad died of an aneurysm that has nothing to do with Batum's stress test.

Time and more medical tests will tell but it could drop him down to the Celtics.

i agree. lots of unanswered questions and i would definitely support taking him.

i was just sorry to hear about all that going on for him - now and in his past with his Dad.

[Brickowski]

You see all kinds of stuff like this floating around before the draft. Some of it comes from unscrupulous agents trying to lower another player's stock so that their clients will be drafted higher.

[winsomme]

if he even makes it to the 20s there are teams that i am certain would take him like Utah, Houston and NO. they all could use some depth on the wing and with very solid squads would have no problem letting him develop slowly...

but yeah, he would be a home run for us as far as i am concerned.

let him study under Pierce and KG and Ray and (hopefully) Posey. that kid would be All-Star at just the right time for us...

[winsomme]

You see all kinds of stuff like this floating around before the draft. Some of it comes from unscrupulous agents trying to lower another player's stock so that their clients will be drafted higher.

i'm pretty sure this is a legit "possible" problem. i mean, his own agent is quoted in the story and the test was reportedly confirmed by two teams.

i'm sure he just needs more specific testing at this point to find out whether there is an actual problem or if it is benign.

[Cman]

You see all kinds of stuff like this floating around before the draft. Some of it comes from unscrupulous agents trying to lower another player's stock so that their clients will be drafted higher.

i'm pretty sure this is a legit "possible" problem. i mean, his own agent is quoted in the story and the test was reportedly confirmed by two teams.

i'm sure he just needs more specific testing at this point to find out whether there is an actual problem or if it is benign.

yeah, my initial reaction was smokescreen by either Toronto, wanting to make sure he falls to them at 17, or by another team, hoping to get him to fall.  It can't be the latter, since his agent is quoted in the article, and it doesn't make sense to be the former -- he could have just cancelled the rest of the workouts and said he suffered a sprained ankle.  It is pretty serious stuff to start talking about heart issues and family heart problems.....  I think it is probably legit.

[cordobes]

Well, word is that it's a smokescreen in order to make him fall to the 2nd round as it was becoming clear for his agent that we wouldn't be a top halve 1st round pick and he's not interested in playing for a low rookie contract, so he'll probably prefer to stay in Europe if he's picked in the late 1st round.

Take this with a big grain of salt, however...

[winsomme]

Well, word is that it's a smokescreen in order to make him fall to the 2nd round as it was becoming clear for his agent that we wouldn't be a top halve 1st round pick and he's not interested in playing for a low rookie contract, so he'll probably prefer to stay in Europe if he's picked in the late 1st round.

Take this with a big grain of salt, however...

but why wouldn't he have just taken his name out of the draft if that was the case that he didn't like where he was going in the draft.....it doesn't make sense to intentionally put out a rumor that you have a heart problem and i haven't seen any reports that that is the case.