At this point, when most free agents have signed with their new team, future plans would normally crop up by the middle to the end of the coming season.

But this early, rumors are already afloat that the newest addition to the Charlotte Hornets could be already planning ahead and his destination could be the Toronto Raptors.

The player is none other than Nicolas Batum, someone who was recently acquired by the Hornets from the Portland Trailblazers in exchange for Gerald Henderson and Noah Vonleh.

Batum is set to become an unrestricted free agent next year; although the Hornets could end up offering him more years since he is under the Bird rights. That means the Hornets can offer him a longer tenure in Charlotte, not to mention more money next season if he proves to be worth it.

Of course, everyone knows that this is thinking way ahead and until Batum plays for the Hornets, it would be premature to make such speculations this early.

Batum is a known shooter; although he is coming off a dismal shooting display with the Blazers. Another thing that makes him interesting is that he is versatile and can defend. He can play the off guard and small forward position, a flexibility that any team would love to have on their roster.

But why would Batum want to join the Raptors?

Well according to a report from Zach Lowe of Grantland.com, Batum has a strong preference to play in Toronto because he is from France. The city also appeals to the French swingman because of his international roots, plus the fact that the Raptors have shown promise with their previous playoff performance as a gauge.

While it seems a bit surprising to hear this, it remains to be seen how the Hornets would react to such. The last thing that Michael Jordan and his crew would want is have someone whose heart is not with the team; so Batum's alleged claim could do more damage than good as far as his tenure in Charlotte is concerned.