I think this photo shows the exact moment when Batum tore his labrum.
  • I think you can see the exact moment where Batum tore his labrum.

Turns out that French people are not made of Adamantium and they cannot instantly regenerate their muscles—I had them confused with Wolverine—so that means that young Nicolas Batum will miss 3-5 months following surgery for a torn right labrum.

Congratulations Martell Webster, you now get to start.
Congratulations Travis Outlaw, you will no longer be traded to the WNBA for Margo Dydek.

This is bad news for a Blazers team that is getting used to injury news popping up at the dawn of a new season—remember this?—but they'll manage since Batum's position (SF) was already backlogged with talent. The one area where the team will truly be hurt is on the defensive end of the court, where neither Webster or Outlaw can match Batum's tenacity and ability to smother an opposing player. Not that we're counting, but the Blazers season starts in less than 28 hours.