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Eggers: War Of Words Over Nicolas Batum Continues

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On Wednesday, Portland Trail Blazers GM Neil Olshey disputed the size of a contract offer made to restricted free agent forward Nicolas Batum by the Minnesota Timberwolves. Kerry Eggers of the Portland Tribune reports the reaction from Timberwolves GM David Kahn and Bouna Ndiaye, agent for Batum. ----------------------------------- "I think you should talk to the reporter who transcribed Nic’s comments," Kahn told me Wednesday night when I read him Olshey’s quotes. "Maybe somebody kidnapped Nic and it wasn’t really him on the phone. "In my dealings with Nic over three days in Minneapolis, he didn’t strike me as the kind of person who chooses his words uncarefully. I understand, however, that it is important for Nic and the Trail Blazers to mend what obviously has been a fractured relationship this last year. I hope they can do so." ... Ndaiye said that [saying the reported contract numbers were too high] wasn’t true, that the $46.5-million figure is accurate. ----------------------------------- The Blazers officially matched the offer sheet to Batum on Wednesday. -- Ben Golliver | benjamin.golliver@gmail.com | Twitter