Batum has no trade value, but his …

Batum has no trade value, but his contract might. That’s why I think it’s unlikely the Hornets will buy him out until or unless he’s still on the team after the next trade deadline. Then, much like Marvin Williams this year, I would expect the Hornets to buy out Batum and likely Zeller, too. Why wait? Because while Batum the player is barely back-of-rotation caliber at this point and might be the most grossly overpaid player in the league, at $27 million next season, he still could be the key to unlocking a trade.