<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/nba/los-angeles-clippers/clippers-news-nicolas-batum-la-payers-chris-paul-gone');   ga('set', 'title', 'Nicolas Batum disputes Clippers players wanting Chris Paul gone');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/Batum-drives.jpg"><figcaption>Sam Sharpe-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><h1>Nicolas Batum disputes Clippers players wanting Chris Paul gone</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2025-12-09T15:41:05-08:00">December 9th, 3:41pm</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2025-12-09T17:57:46-08:00">December 9th, 5:57pm</time><address><a>Jackson Stone</a>Jackson Stone is a Mercer University alum from Atlanta who graduated with a BA in communications. A lifelong sports lover, Jackson is a die-hard fan of all Atlanta teams. He joined ClutchPoints in 2023.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">Los Angeles Clippers</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>The <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/los-angeles-clippers/clippers-news-steve-ballmers-insane-addiction-derailing-rebuild-says-insider">Los Angeles Clippers have been</a> in a tailspin through the first quarter of the 2025-26 NBA season, currently sitting at 6-18 after a recent road loss to the Minnesota Timberwolves. Recently, the team stirred controversy when they unceremoniously parted ways <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/los-angeles-clippers/clippers-news-tyronn-lue-shoots-down-rumors-chris-paul-didnt-speak">with point guard Chris Paul</a>, sending him back to Los Angeles while they were in Atlanta preparing for a game against the Hawks.</p><p>Since then, some reports have emerged that the Clippers players wanted Paul out of the locker room, but recently, Clippers forward Nicolas Batum assured reports that <a href="https://x.com/joeylinn_/status/1998491261926592890?s=20" rel="noopener">this was not the case.</a></p><p>“They didn’t ask me. Like everybody else, I just woke up and found out about the news. It is what it is, the situation upstairs… If something happened, I don’t really know about it… It’s sad sometimes to be part of that. On both sides. The fans too. Just wish the best for CP,” said Batum, per Joey Linn of Sports Illustrated on X, formerly Twitter.</p><p>Batum also spoke on what Paul meant to him as a teammate.</p><p>“I texted him the first day that happened… I obviously have a ton of respect for him… 21 years and a Hall of Famer… I got a chance to play with a lot of great players. He’s one of them. So just wanted to text him and thank him for the time I had with him.”</p><p>Overall, the Clippers have yet to fill Paul’s vacant roster spot. There were some reports that Paul and head coach Tyronn Lue were not on speaking terms in the days leading up to the shocking dismissal, but at this point, it seems like no one outside of the Los Angeles organization truly knows what went down.</p><p>In any case, the Clippers will next take the floor on Thursday on the road against the Houston Rockets.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

Nicolas Batum disputes Clippers players wanting Chris Paul gone

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/nba/nicolas-batum-calls-out-eurobasket-fans-racist-comments-on-social-media');   ga('set', 'title', 'Nicolas Batum calls out EuroBasket fans’ racist comments on social media');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/Batum.jpg"><figcaption>John David Mercer-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><h1>Nicolas Batum calls out EuroBasket fans’ racist comments on social media</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2025-08-31T09:19:48-07:00">August 31st, 9:19am</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2025-08-31T09:19:48-07:00">August 31st, 9:19am</time><address><a href="https://www.downeuclid.com">Evan Dammarell</a>Evan Dammarell is an award-winning sports journalist covering all things Cleveland, including the Cavs, right off the shores of Lake Erie. Follow him on Twitter, Facebook or Instagram.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">NBA</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p><a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/los-angeles-lakers/eurobasket-news-why-french-player-apologized-to-luka-doncic-shady-move">France’s 103-95 win over Slovenia</a> at EuroBasket 2025 was overshadowed by an ugly incident off the court, as French guard Sylvain Francisco became the target of racist abuse on social media. Nicolas Batum, one of the most respected voices in French basketball, <a href="https://x.com/nicolas88batum/status/1961924285380923850" rel="noopener">quickly came to his defense</a> and called out fans for crossing a line that has no place in sports.</p><p>The controversy erupted in the final seconds when Francisco, after shaking Luka Doncic’s hand, drove to the rim for an uncontested layup that <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/nba-stories/eurobasket-news-slovenia-france-game-ends-in-bizarre-manner">extended France’s margin of victory</a> from nine to 11 points. Because point differential matters in EuroBasket, the play had strategic value. However, many Slovenian fans viewed it as disrespectful and flooded social media with vitriol, including racial slurs.</p><p>“Some of y’all are sick even if you disagree with a basketball play,” Batum wrote on X. “Racism and hate are never acceptable at all. After Dennis Schroder earlier, now this. Major props to Sylvain, great game, brother. Keep shining and making us proud.”</p><p>The French Basketball Federation also issued a statement condemning what it described as “intolerable” behavior that goes against the values of the sport. Francisco himself spoke out, stressing that while fans can criticize his actions on the court, racism is far beyond acceptable criticism.</p><h2><b>This isn’t the first incident to occur during EuroBasket 2025</b></h2><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/Schroder.jpg"><figcaption>Rob Schumacher-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><p>This was the second such incident in the tournament after Germany’s Dennis Schroder faced racist taunts in a win over Lithuania. Organizers later banned a fan involved in that case. But Batum’s comments underscored a growing frustration among players who feel these situations are not being dealt with strongly enough.</p><p>EuroBasket has long been known for its passionate crowds and heated rivalries. However, the tournament’s spirit of competition has been marred by recurring acts of racism. With group play intensifying, players and federations alike are urging governing bodies to act swiftly and ensure offenders face consequences.</p><p>Francisco, who scored 32 points against Slovenia, said he regrets the misunderstanding with Doncic. But he will not stay silent about the racial abuse that followed. For Batum and the French federation, the message remains clear. Criticism of a basketball decision is fair game. But hatred aimed at a player’s race has no place in EuroBasket or anywhere else.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

Nicolas Batum calls out EuroBasket fans’ racist comments on social media

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/nba/los-angeles-clippers/clippers-news-nicolas-batum-la-with-12-million-contracr-retirement-rumors');   ga('set', 'title', 'Nicolas Batum returns to Clippers with $12 million contract despite retirement rumors');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/Nicolas-Batum.jpg"><figcaption>Kirby Lee-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><h1>Nicolas Batum returns to Clippers with $12 million contract despite retirement rumors</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2025-06-30T11:48:54-07:00">June 30th, 11:48am</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2025-06-30T13:48:03-07:00">June 30th, 1:48pm</time><address><a>Malik Brown</a>Malik Brown is a multimedia reporter based in Atlanta who covers the Hawks and Dream for ClutchPoints. Malik has worked in entertainment and sports, and he specializes in the NBA and NFL.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">Los Angeles Clippers</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>The Los Angeles <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/clippers-news-nicolas-batum-declines-player-option">Clippers are bringing back a key player</a> to their lineup <a href="https://x.com/ShamsCharania/status/1939745171689939351" rel="noopener">before free agency starts</a>, according to ESPN’s Shams Charania.</p><p>“Free agent forward Nicolas Batum intends to sign a two-year, $11.5 million deal to return to the Los Angeles Clippers, sources tell ESPN. Deal includes a team option as well as a trade kicker. Batum’s agent, Bouna Ndiaye of Comsport, negotiated the contract for the reunion,” Charania wrote on X, formerly Twitter.</p><p>A few days ago, Batum declined his $4.9 million player option for next season to become a free agent, but there was mutual interest between him and the Clippers for him to return. They were able to get that deal done, and with Batum approaching his 18th season in the league, he says there’s a good chance that he will retire after next season.</p><p>Last season for the Clippers, Batum played in 78 games and started in eight of them, averaging 4.0 points and 2.8 rebounds per game. He’s been a solid 3-and-D player in this part of his career, and he proved that last season with the Clippers.</p><p>Batum really showed his value against the Denver Nuggets in the first round of the playoffs, and he was a big reason why they were able to get the Clippers to seven games. He shot 40% from the 3-point line during the playoffs, while also averaging 1.7 blocks and 0.9 steals per game.</p><p>This is one of the first moves that the Clippers have made this offseason. Their next line of business will be re-signing <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/clippers-news-james-harden-decides-36-3m-option-2025-26-season">James Harden, as he recently declined his option</a>. Harden will re-sign with the Clippers, and it’s supposed to be for two years, $81.5 million. The Clippers should be another team to watch out for once again in the Western Conference next season, but health will always be a key area for them, and the hope is that Kawhi Leonard can stay injury-free throughout the year.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

Nicolas Batum returns to Clippers with $12 million contract despite retirement rumors

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/nba/los-angeles-clippers/clippers-news-nicolas-batum-declines-player-option');   ga('set', 'title', 'Clippers’ Nicolas Batum declines player option, but there’s a catch');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/Nicolas-Batum-during-the-game-between-Los-Angeles-Clippers-and-Chicago-Bulls.webp"><figcaption>Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports</figcaption></figure><h1>Clippers’ Nicolas Batum declines player option, but there’s a catch</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2025-06-28T16:59:17-07:00">June 28th, 4:59pm</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2025-06-28T17:00:57-07:00">June 28th, 5:00pm</time><address><a>Abdullah Imran</a>Abdullah Imran works as an Associate Editor for All Sports at ClutchPoints. He’s been a sports fan his entire life and enjoys writing about every sport. He has spent three years in sports journalism and loves analyzing games. In his free time, he very much enjoys binge-watching shows and playing video games.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">Los Angeles Clippers</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>Veteran forward <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/los-angeles-clippers/clippers-news-nicolas-batum-makes-decision-on-3-3-million-player-option-ahead-of-2022-nba-free-agency">Nicolas Batum has declined</a> his $4.9 million player option for the 2025–26 NBA season, according to ESPN’s Senior Insider Shams Charania, <a href="https://x.com/ShamsCharania/status/1939092288619130964" rel="noopener">making him an unrestricted free agent</a>. However, there’s a significant caveat. Both Batum and the Los Angeles Clippers have mutual interest in striking a new deal when free agency begins on Monday.</p><p>Batum, who turns 37 in December, is coming off a solid season with the Clippers, his fifth with the franchise after prior stints with the Portland Trail Blazers and the Charlotte Hornets. He appeared in 78 regular-season games in 2024–25, starting eight, and averaged 17.5 minutes per game. Despite his limited court time, the 6-foot-10 Frenchman made a notable impact with his floor spacing and defense.</p><p>During the regular season, Batum shot an efficient 43.3% from three-point range on 2.6 attempts per game, reinforcing his value as a quick-trigger shooter. His contributions increased in the postseason. In the Clippers’ first-round series against the Denver Nuggets, Batum averaged 24.4 minutes per game, up nearly seven minutes from the regular season, and contributed across the board with 5.6 points, 3.9 rebounds, 2.0 assists, 1.7 blocks, and 0.9 steals per contest.</p><p>His defensive presence and versatility stood out, particularly against a high-powered Nuggets squad. Batum shot nearly 40% from deep on 4.7 attempts in the playoffs, underlining his ability to stretch the floor in high-stakes scenarios.</p><p>Clippers president of basketball operations Lawrence Frank has publicly stated the organization “1,000 percent” wants Batum to return, and discussions around a new deal appear to be ongoing. ESPN’s Shams Charania noted that both sides could reach an agreement early in free agency.</p><p>Originally the 25th overall pick in the 2008 NBA Draft, Batum has played 17 seasons in the league and is <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/los-angeles-clippers/olympics-news-nicolas-batum-retires-from-french-basketball-with-back-to-back-silver-medals">a two-time Olympic silver medalist with the French national team</a>. He has already hinted that <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/los-angeles-clippers/clippers-rumors-nicolas-batum-reveals-upcoming-retirement-plan">the 2025–26 season could be his final year in the NBA</a>.</p><p>The Clippers have big offseason decisions ahead, including James Harden’s $36.3M player option, and Batum is just another name to watch. Even at his age, Nicolas Batum remains a valuable piece thanks to his experience, sharp shooting, and dependable defense.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

Clippers’ Nicolas Batum declines player option, but there’s a catch

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/nba/los-angeles-clippers/clippers-rumors-nicolas-batum-reveals-upcoming-retirement-plan');   ga('set', 'title', 'Clippers’ Nicolas Batum reveals upcoming retirement plan');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/Nic-Batum.jpg"></figure><h1>Clippers’ Nicolas Batum reveals upcoming retirement plan</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2025-05-19T17:09:48-07:00">May 19th, 5:09pm</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2025-05-19T17:09:48-07:00">May 19th, 5:09pm</time><address><a>Dylan Fine</a>Dylan Fine focuses on the NFL and NCAA Football for ClutchPoints, in addition to working on the meme team. Dylan is a graduate of Georgetown University and has covered various topics ranging from local politics in the DMV region with DC Voter For Animals to live sporting events in the Long Island and Rochester areas with The Southampton Press and Pickin’Splinters. When he isn't working, he's usually running in preparation for the next annual Turkey Trot.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">Los Angeles Clippers</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>Los Angeles Clippers forward Nicolas Batum gave insight into his upcoming retirement. The 36-year-old has played 17 years in the NBA and has become a reliable role player toward the tail end of his career. Batum has enjoyed two stints with the Clippers, including this most recent one, where he was given super difficult defensive assignments even at his age. Several times, the veteran Frenchman was matched up <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/los-angeles-clippers/clippers-news-president-lawrence-frank-gets-brutally-honest-on-game-7-loss-vs-nuggets">against Denver Nuggets superstar Nikola Jokic</a> during the seven-game series with the 2023 NBA champs.</p><p>This series was an absolute thriller that is probably still eating at the Clippers, considering how close they were to advancing to the second round. Despite that disappointment, 2024-25 was a successful season for a franchise that was expected to take a considerable dip due to not resigning Paul George. Los Angeles, however, won 50 games for the second straight year. In a recent interview with BeinSports, Batum <a href="https://www.eurohoops.net/en/nba-news/1826747/nicolas-batum-very-likely-to-retire-at-end-of-next-season/" rel="noopener">was honest</a> about his retirement plans.</p><p>“There’s a very, very good chance that the next season will be my last.”</p><p>Batum is currently on a two-year deal that will end after next season. The savvy veteran was playing over 20 minutes a game for the Clippers and is still a critical wing on this roster. Los Angeles lacks some depth in this area, especially with the uncertain health of Kawhi Leonard throughout his tenure. Batum’s return will therefore pay dividends. The franchise will have some critical decisions this offseason as it looks to take that good-to-great jump. James Harden has a player option that he could exercise next season, but he could be potentially looking for a long-term deal.</p><p>Norman Powell is also extension-eligible, coming off a season where he could’ve been named an All-Star. Los Angeles has two very valuable starters in their prime, Powell and Ivica Zubac, who form a formidable core with Kawhi Leonard and James Harden. The question is whether the Clippers will look to use one of these players in a potential star trade. Los Angeles <a href="https://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/44588112/nba-offseason-2025-draft-free-agency-trade-targets-30-teams" rel="noopener">can trade up</a> to two firsts from 2030 and 2032 and swap their picks in 2030, 2031, or 2032. Batum coming back for one last ride is essential, but this front office likely has a few more surprising moves to make this offseason.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

Clippers’ Nicolas Batum reveals upcoming retirement plan

Gordon Hayward

Alex Caruso

Josh Hart

Julius Randle

Nicolas Batum

Serge Ibaka

Rajon Rondo

Rudy Gobert

Harrison Barnes

Joakim Noah

Portland Trail Blazers

Charlotte Hornets

Los Angeles Clippers

Philadelphia 76ers

1 season

4 seasons

1 Season

5 seasons

https://twitter.com/nicolas88batum/status/1646239283551027201/

Historique! Félicitations les filles 🥇🏆🙏🏽 @ASVEL_Feminin 

https://twitter.com/nicolas88batum/status/1644890151309434881/

Watching the @nikehoopsummit, can’t believe I’ve played this game 16 years ago😣. Great memories even if we lost by 20 😅 

https://twitter.com/nicolas88batum/status/1638527762779578370/

https://twitter.com/nicolas88batum/status/1632257646710358016/

Be kind with me my American friends, I’m having a tough week winning wise in sports 😅 #UFC285

https://twitter.com/nicolas88batum/status/1632229100113874944/

.@ciryl_gane fais le boulot mon gars #UFC285

https://twitter.com/nicolas88batum/status/1627148180511924231/

https://twitter.com/nicolas88batum/status/1627147384210743296/

https://twitter.com/nicolas88batum/status/1625613572247003144/

2025-26 SEASON STATS
PTS	REB	AST	BLK	STL
4.5	2.9	0.7	0.5	0.9

2025-26 SEASON STATS
PTS	REB	AST	BLK	STL
4.5	2.9	0.7	0.5	0.9

Nicolas
Batum

Latest Nicolas Batum News

Nicolas Batum disputes Clippers players wanting Chris Paul gone

Nicolas Batum calls out EuroBasket fans’ racist comments on social media

Nicolas Batum returns to Clippers with $12 million contract despite retirement rumors

Clippers’ Nicolas Batum declines player option, but there’s a catch

Clippers’ Nicolas Batum reveals upcoming retirement plan

Latest Nicolas Batum Tweets