The LA Clippers, as a team, deserve the blame for blowing a 25-point lead to the San Antonio Spurs. But, in one of their final chances to win, Nicolas Batum, who has been a fan-favorite for the longest, presented an easily avoidable mistake. Because a similar sequence involving his IQ has occurred a number of times this season, on top of his poor production as of late, the veteran demonstrated, with actions, that the Clippers should’ve dealt him at the deadline.
For context, after Batum checked the ball into Brook Lopez’s hands, his feet were still out of bounds. Lopez understandably assumed that the French native was in the clear, as anyone in the same situation would move with a sense of urgency to get in the play, and passed it right back, resulting in the most careless of errors.
While it’s the harsh truth, Batum is one of the primary reasons why there are not a few extra victories on the Clippers’ record. He is an aging liability, and now the front office is essentially stuck with his contract until the offseason (team option).
The Clippers should’ve taken all they could get at the deadline for Batum
Nicolas Batum has a roster spot on the LA Clippers solely because of his experience, his ability as a small-ball center, and his presence in the locker room. Lawrence Frank evidently cherished these values and believed they would come in handy at some point in the second half of the season.
Though Frank wasn’t entirely wrong, Batum has not lived up to the standard he’s set for himself over the years. He isn’t of much use on either side of the ball anymore, has struggled make winning plays, and oftentimes seems to be in the wrong place at the wrong time.
His value on the market may not have been through the roof, as he has only averaged just over four points so far. But, even if he brought in a second-round pick or another veteran with upside, that would have been considered worth it, especially now, at a time when he’s basically unplayable.
The hope is that he turns things around from here on out. He still has time, and the playoffs will be his best chance to.
In the end, the front office won't see a reason to keep him around for another year, which leaves their best interest to initiate a long-overdue decision to move on.