For a head coach who emphasizes cherishing and valuing the veterans on the LA Clippers, it was an unusual sight to see Tyronn Lue look away from Nicolas Batum in Game 7 versus the Denver Nuggets. There was no rationale for disregarding the player who had the Nuggets' hearts racing with his three-point shooting and rim protection.
Furthermore, amid the regular season, Batum did not receive as many opportunities as he should have. He was struggling at points early on, but when has this ever stopped Lue from giving minutes to a veteran he loves?
On the season, Batum posted 4.0 points, 2.8 rebounds, and 1.1 assists, shooting 43.7% from the field and 43.3% from three-point land. He replicated a similar impact in the postseason exit, increasing his averages and blocks, and helped his team win a pivotal Game 6.
However, with another power forward, John Collins, and a viable backup center, Brook Lopez, many fans are under the assumption that Batum will play less and less as the 2025-26 season progresses.
On the contrary, next season will be the one in which inevitable mistakes regarding Batum and his utilization are corrected.
The LA Clippers will need Nicolas Batum early on both sides of the ball
Nicolas Batum could be 50, still playing as the oldest player in NBA history, and he would still be valued due to his experience in adversity. The Portland Trail Blazers, Charlotte Hornets, and Philadelphia 76ers taught him once-in-a-lifetime lessons, and the LA Clippers hit the jackpot as the team with which he will retire.
Moreover, Batum is only 36, which may be a number higher than ideal for most players, who just signed a two-year deal with the Clippers. His voice will be needed, yet even with John Collins and Brook Lopez, Tyronn Lue would have learned his painful, game seven lesson to use the French Knight, applicable or not, as he fits in every lineup possible.
Although it will be less, small-ball will still be used next season, as it can overwhelm certain opponents, and that is when Batum's shooting will expose them, a similar concept to how Terance Mann dominated in Game 6 of the 2021 playoffs versus the Utah Jazz.
That said, the Clippers would not have increased Batum's salary for the next two seasons if they did not have plans to fix their issues with Batum in the postseason. He will be pivotal for the team's success, and without him, LA would fail miserably in the first round.