Nicolas Batum responds to rumor he would like to play in Toronto

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Charlotte Hornets forward Nicolas Batum will become an unrestricted free agent during the salary cap free-for-all that's coming in 2016 - a fact which isn't lost on the 6-foot-8 Frenchman.

To that end, those close to Batum have "made noise" about how much he'd love to play for the Toronto Raptors, with the city's multiculturalism being a major plus in his eyes, league sources tell Grantland's Zach Lowe.

The 26-year-old Batum - and his $11.8 million expiring contract - was acquired from the Portland Trail Blazers for Gerald Henderson and Noah Vonleh in June.

The possibility of Batum walking after just one season in Charlotte doesn't phase general manager Rich Cho, though.

“Sure, there’s risk,” Cho says. “If Nic were in his thirties, I could see how people might be skeptical. You try to balance winning now with winning later, and we felt trading for Nic gave us the best of both worlds.”

While Vonleh struggled during his rookie campaign, the former Indiana Hoosier is only 19 years old with plenty of room to grow.

“We’ve seen over the last few years that players want to be here,” Cho adds. “Free agents want to come here.”

While the Hornets haven't signed many high-profile free agents, the team has had success inking role players who fill specific needs, such as guard Jeremy Lin and forward Tyler Hansbrough.

One benefit the Hornets have in negotiating with Batum is being able to pay him more by owning his Bird Rights. The Hornets could offer the seven-year pro a max contract, which may be all it takes to coax him into staying.

Toronto recently filled its need for a 3-and-D wing by signing former Atlanta Hawk DeMarre Carroll. With Batum seeking a raise, and All-Star shooting guard DeMar DeRozan looking to get a max offer, it may not be feasible for Batum to come north of the border to join a roster that might not have a starter's role available.

If Batum is in fact interested in becoming a Raptor, he sure knows how to hide it well, as he denied the report on social media with a response inspired by "Saturday Night Live's" Weekend Update segment: