INGLEWOOD, CA — An hour before the Sixers and Clippers tip off for a Wednesday night game at the brand new Intuit Dome, Nic Batum holds court at his locker. He jokingly pretends to be repulsed by the sight of a few Sixers reporters who have gathered to speak with him. "I've only got nine minutes," he tells them.
Batum joined the 2023-24 Sixers about a week into the regular season after being acquired from the Clippers in the James Harden trade and quickly went from being perceived as nothing more than salary filler in the deal to becoming an absolutely vital contributor for the Sixers. His ability to do all of the little things in an off-ball role made him a wonderful fit in Philadelphia.
For an entire year, rumors swirled that Batum could be playing his final NBA season before participating in the 2024 Olympics for the hosting Team France and calling it a career. The Sixers had tremendous interest in bringing Batum back. Joel Embiid openly campaigned for Batum to return.
Batum opted not to retire or stick around with the Sixers. Instead, he returned to the organization which helped him revive his career, only to trade him later on. He signed a two-year deal with the Clippers worth about $9.5 million (the contract contains a player option in the second season). Batum ended up being the first of quite a few players to switch between the Sixers and Clippers over the summer.
About 45 minutes after talking to reporters, Batum took the floor with his Clippers teammates. He immediately spotted his wife and two children in the crowd. Batum waved before partaking in layup lines. Many wonder why a player without a championship nearing the end of his career would choose to play for this version of the Clippers. That brief moment did all of the explaining necessary.
"I [needed] to make the best decision for me family-wise," Batum said. "My family is here, my kids going to the same school. I wanted to go back close to my family… And I go back to an organization I know very well and a coach I know very well as well."
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Batum was happy in Philadelphia, he said, but other external factors made a return to Los Angeles and the Clippers the ideal option.
"It's nothing against the Sixers," Batum said. "You know how I feel about the city and the fans. I had a surprising, good year, though. I didn't expect to have a good year like that when I got traded there. So that was fun, no regrets for sure."
Why was Batum surprised that things went well in Philadelphia?
"When I got traded, I didn't expect to start, to play 25, 30 minutes per game, you know?" Batum said. "You had a good team already, with their players set. No training camp, I don't really know what to expect, to be honest. That's why I was just surprised to have a good year that quickly, fitting right away. Coaching staff was great, great players, so that it was pretty much easy to fit in with that team."
Sixers head coach Nick Nurse raved about Batum following the Sixers' loss:
"We really liked him," Nurse said. "Really good all-around player. Does a little rebounding, does a little passing, plays some decent defense… He was a great late-game decision-maker as well out there, and always a great leader and great in the locker room."
The vast majority of Sixers fans will remember Batum for one night in particular: last season's Play-In Tournament victory over the Miami Heat, a game in which Batum played spectacular basketball on both ends of the floor — including six three-pointers and outstanding defense — in order to save a Sixers team that had failed to bring its best. In the process, he captured the heart of a crowd.
20 PTS | 5 REBS | 6 3PM
the Nico Batum game.
presented by @cryptocom pic.twitter.com/aU2pbsVa11— Philadelphia 76ers (@sixers) April 18, 2024
The excitement of that victory was taken away when the Sixers went on to lose their first-round playoff series to the New York Knicks. But Batum has an unusual perspective.
"The whole playoff series against the Knicks was fun. The Play-In was something, but I think every game against the Knicks was, like, a fight," Batum said. "[At Madison Square Garden], at home, it was pretty intense. It was fun, though."
Batum exhibited the same calm nature that stood out in the moment six months and change ago.
"The Play-In was one game."
MORE: Relive Batum's two-way masterclass vs. Miami
As the clock runs out on his professional career, Batum was forced to make a difficult decision — and that is precisely what he did. The Clippers' loss had become the Sixers' gain a year ago, and suddenly a role reversal was taking place. But for what it's worth, Batum had nothing but positive things to say about his seven months with the Sixers.
"It's good to see some familiar faces," Batum said. "I had a great time. I have nothing against all those guys. I had a great time with all of them. They're great friends."
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