In his annualNBA Trade Value column,ESPN.com's Bill Simmonspraises Portland Trail Blazers forward Nicolas Batum but lists him as a "tough omission" from his list. In the process, Simmons does something special. ----------------------------- Nicolas Batum: Dirt-cheap contract, elite defender, efficient offensively, brazenly called out Derrick Rose's shoddy defense recently, only 22 years old … for once, the Portland Soccer Moms overrated a Blazer and then had the rating inadvertently turn out to be the right rating. (Just kidding, Portland. Jokes! Come on! Loosen up! No, don't start the 150-post thread killing me on Blazers Edge! Just stop it … jokes! NOOOOOOOOOOOO!) ----------------------------- Awesome. Simmonsalso rankedBlazers power forward LaMarcus Aldridge No. 15 on his list. (One spot behind Minnesota Timberwolves power forward Kevin Love.) He also bestowed Blazers guard Brandon Roy with the third worst contract in the league, behind Orlando Magic guard Gilbert Arenas and Washington Wizards forward Rashard Lewis. -- Ben Golliver | benjamin.golliver@gmail.com |Twitter