"Much as they'd like to keep both, the Trail Blazers will likely have to make a decision between retaining small forwards Gerald Wallace and Nicolas Batum after this season.

The Blazers hope it doesn't come down to that, of course.

"You're always trying to balance your roster," says interim general manager Chad Buchanan, "but we think both of those guys are valuable pieces to our team."

But can Portland afford to keep both?"