Clippers forward Nicolas Batum will not be wanting for suitors this offseason after a bounce-back performance with Los Angeles in 2020/21. Chris Haynes of Yahoo Sports reports (Twitter link) that, in addition to the Clippers, other playoff-caliber teams are interested in the versatile player’s services, including the Heat, Warriors and Pacers.
After being waived by the Hornets ahead of the 2020/21 season, Batum became a highly valuable 3-and-D addition on the Clippers roster, even moving into the starting lineup as the club’s power forward ahead of the much-pricier Marcus Morris for much of the season, before Morris’ play turned a corner and he eventually reclaimed the gig.
Batum logged 27.4 MPG on a Clippers team that broke through the Western Conference Finals for the first time in its history. He averaged 8.1 PPG, 4.7 RPG, 2.2 APG, 1.0 SPG, and 0.6 BPG. The 32-year-old posted a shooting line of .464/.404/.828.
Here are more free agency rumors from around the NBA:
- Veteran Trail Blazers forward Carmelo Anthony could reunite with the Knicks this summer, per ESPN’s Jordan Schultz (via Twitter). Anthony, who made six All-Star appearances during his previous stint in New York, averaged 13.4 PPG, 3.1 RPG, and 1.5 APG on .421/.409/.890 shooting splits as a reserve with Portland across 69 games in the 2020/21 season. Schultz notes that Knicks team president Leon Rose has a good rapport with Anthony, having served as the probable Hall-of-Famer’s longtime agent before moving into his current front office role with New York.
- After Miami opted to decline his $15MM player option for the 2021/22 season, veteran forward Andre Iguodala is now an unrestricted free agent once again and the Warriors are expected to chat with the 37-year-old about a possible reunion, tweets Tim Reynolds of The Associated Press. Jordan Schultz of ESPN reports (Twitter link) that the new-look Lakers are also eyeballing Iguodala as a savvy veteran contributor. Given Iguodala’s advanced age and on-court performance of late, it seems likely he’ll have to settle for significantly less than his $15MM player option for the season.
- The Mavericks expect to be able to re-sign reserve big man Boban Marjanović this summer, reports Marc Stein (via Twitter). The Mavericks first signed the 7’4″ center in free agency during the 2019 offseason, on a two-year, $7MM deal. The 32-year-old averaged just 8.2 MPG as a backup big with a playoff Dallas team this year, but in that brief time he produced (in a per-minute sense), averaging 4.7 PPG and 3.9 RPG.
Batum should have options. He’s a classic 3-D guy. Clippers should try and keep him. Since Kawhi is out for the year. Lakers should definitely be looking at him.
Not a Melo guy, never was really. I liked him on Nuggets team. When he was more a team player. Knicks do need bench scoring. But it’s a bad idea to bring him back now. It’s a new culture here. Don’t mess with that please. Let him ring chase, No No No
Do you think $6m MLE is enough for one of Batum or Westley Mattews?
How can Lakers handle Schroeder, Tucker and Caruso?
Iggy goes back to GS. Melo ring chasing to LA
Batum will get that. At 32 he could get 3yr deal 15-20 mill. Mathews will get less.
Lakers have to find a way to sign-trade Schroeder. Can’t lose him for nothing.
Unfortunately anyone who would want Schroeder can prob afford him at this rate
I see a sign and trade as a long shot
pretty sure Clippers can offer Batum more money than Lakers and a bigger role with Kawhi out
No, about the same (Txp-MLE is the most for either, unless LAC accommodate S&T for the LAL benefit).
boban only gonna get toby bag size contract.
Of course Batum did good. He basically has a 3 year vacation from basketball. His legs were fresh.
Would love to see Melo come back to NY.
id rather see NY build on their success through athleticism.
Bringing back Melo is the opposite of that and Thibs wouldn’t want him under any circumstance.
No Melo. We’re finally playing defense. The Melo Smirk (in lieu of fulfilling the defensive assignment) has no place on the court or, more importantly, in the locker room. Melo can sign with the Knicks to retire if he’d like. Lazy reporters should stop linking guys to the Knicks because Rose was their agent. It’s really just means Rose won’t deny interest because it would sound pejorative toward the player.
Batum is a guy the Knicks should kick the tires on if he’s interested. Not as a long term foundation piece (too old). I liked his defense last year, while it was mostly at 4, I think can still be a combo F. Knicks haven’t had one in a spell.
The Lakers did show interest in the past but he wanted to prove himself in a larger role.
…he proved he is at best a bench player who can take a lot of shots on the 2nd half of back 2 backs.
Maybe they will link up again now that his confirmed role is what they’d be looking for
The Lakers, as constructed, might be immune from the cancer that is Melo. LBJ and RW are his contemporaries, and have too much at stake legacy-wise to tolerate his nonsense. Of course, look what happened with HOU in a few weeks. He had his buddy, CP3, there as well.
Knicks have no such immunity, and, in fact, with a newly forming culture rooted in everything that Melo abhors (defense, team play, etc.), they are part of the “at risk” population.
I’ll take Melo — purely on a minimum deal.
Seems like he has a good role in PDX tho.