The

delivered a direct and emphatic message to free agent

during a downtown meeting Thursday afternoon:

Batum will remain with the Blazers.

A trio of Blazers executives, led by general manager

, met with Batum and agent Bouna Ndiaye and told the 23-year-old forward that they intend to keep him in a Blazers uniform no matter what other teams offer him or propose to the team in trades.

"We told Nic that it is in his best interests to sign with us," Olshey said.

Olshey's message was a not-so-veiled counter to Minnesota, where Batum spent three days last weekend being courted by general manager David Kahn and Timberwolves ownership.

Just hours after meeting with the Blazers, Ndiaye told The Associated Press that his client has reached a verbal agreement with the Timberwolves and wants the Blazers to let him go to Minnesota or execute a sign-and-trade.

Ndiaye declined to give the terms of the agreement, but a person with knowledge of the deal told the AP it was for four years and $45 million, with bonuses that could push it past $50 million.

“It was a very cordial meeting. There were no hard feelings,” Ndiaye told the AP. “So Nicolas basically talked about his four years with the Blazers and he expressed that maybe it was time for him to look at a place where it could be more happy.”

Ndiaye said Batum has great respect for the Blazers and their fans, but believes playing for Timberwolves coach Rick Adelman and alongside point guard Ricky Rubio and forward Kevin Love was the best situation for him.

“Nicolas said ‘I really respect the Blazers’ organization, the Blazers’ fans,’” Ndiaye told the AP. “He even mentioned he really loved to be coached by (former assistant) Monty Williams, who was a mentor. But his choice, his heart went to Minneapolis.”

Batum is a restricted free agent, meaning the Blazers can match offers from other teams. The Blazers can also offer up to a five-year contract, whereas other teams can offer only up to a four-year deal. Players can sign an offer sheet beginning at 9 p.m. Tuesday, and teams have 72 hours to match signed offers.

Batum, who will leave for France on Friday, declined to comment. Calls to Ndiaye were not returned, and Kahn also did not return a phone message.

After Batum met with Minnesota last weekend, Olshey requested a face-to-face meeting, and despite a sometimes acrimonious relationship with Blazers brass, Ndiaye agreed to the afternoon meeting at The Nines Hotel in downtown Portland. The Blazers were represented by Olshey, director of college scouting Chad Buchanan and salary cap specialist Joe Cronin.

"We appreciated the face-to-face meeting to get our message across," Olshey said. "And that message was that we intend to match any offer and we will not facilitate any sign-and-trade scenarios."

Viewed as a still-emerging talent, Batum averaged 13.9 points, 4.6 rebounds and 1.4 assists in 30.4 minutes for the Blazers last season. He is targeted as the Blazers' starting small forward next season, when he likely would take on a bigger offensive role while remaining one of the team's better, and more versatile, defenders.

In January, the two sides let a deadline pass to extend Batum's contract, as the Blazers conveyed to Batum that they were committed to him, but waiting to sign him gave them greater free agent flexibility.

The Blazers have about $16.5 million in cap space to sign free agents, and they have a verbal agreement to sign restricted free agent center Roy Hibbert to a four-year, $58 million deal, provided Indiana does not match. The Blazers could land both Hibbert and Batum if Hibbert signs his offer sheet first because the Blazers own Batum's Bird Rights, meaning they can go over their salary cap to re-sign him.

-- The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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