Nicolas Batum will re-sign with the LA Clippers on a two-year, $11.5M deal including a team option and trade kicker. The 36-year-old forward plans for this to be his final NBA season, entering his 18th year with strong playoff contributions.
Free agent forward Nicolas Batum is set to return to the Los Angeles Clippers on a two-year, $11.5 million contract, per ESPN's Shams Charania. The deal includes a team option and a trade kicker, negotiated by his agent Bouna Ndiaye of Comsport.
Nicolas Batum
Nicolas Batum
Nicolas Batum
MIN: 18.1
PTS: 4.14 (45.89%)
REB: 2.88
As: 1.15
ST: 0.68
BL: 0.56
TO: 0.44
GM: 85
Batum opted out of his $4.9 million player option earlier this offseason, but had expressed strong interest in remaining with the Clippers. Ahead of free agency, he told reporters there was a "very, very good chance" that the 2025–26 season would be his last in the NBA.
At 36 years old, the veteran forward heads into his 18th NBA season, bringing leadership and valuable depth. Last year, he played under 18 minutes per game across 78 appearances (including eight starts) but maintained his role as a versatile defender and reliable three-point shooter.
Batum’s skill set stood out during the Clippers' first-round playoff series against the Denver Nuggets, where he averaged 1.7 blocks, 0.9 steals, and shot nearly 40% from beyond the arc on 4.7 attempts per game.
“1,000 percent,” said Clippers president of basketball operations Lawrence Frank, when asked if the team hoped Batum would return.
The Frenchman has spent most of the past five seasons with the Clippers following prior stints with Portland and Charlotte. He’s also a two-time Olympic silver medalist with the French national team.
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