The Philadelphia 76ers have been middling since their piping hot start to the season, but no one can consider them as a huge letdown at this early juncture. With the season this young, that branding can only be attributed to those currently touting absolutely meager records compared to their respective pre-season billings.
One of those teams that have greatly disappointed early on is the LA Clippers. Despite having one of the most talented and experienced groups in the league, they have only been able to muster a puny 5-13 win-loss card, which is only good for 12th place in the jam-packed Western Conference. However, that might actually be favorable to the 76ers, specifically in relation to Nicolas Batum.
The ever-reliable Batum re-signed with the Clippers last summer to the tune of a two-year deal. Despite his lack of flashy stats, he remains one of their most stable players, and he has perennially been a better performer when the games start to matter the most in the playoffs.
Having said that, the 76ers might just have the perfect recipe to be able to pursue a reunion with the veteran through a trade.
76ers could reunite with Nicolas Batum as the Clippers continue to struggle
The West has become too lethal for the Clippers to keep up, and if their struggles continue to persist, their front office could definitely consider holding a fire sale to liquidate their veteran commodities, like Batum.
The 76ers, who already enjoyed the Frenchman’s services during the 2023-24 season, remain one of the most sensible fits for Batum. Despite almost being 37 years old, he is still a very serviceable role player who can function in a litany of ways. He is a high-precision marksman, albeit on low volume, while also being a heady connective passer. Even more importantly, he is still a competent, multi-positional defender who has both the length and smarts to be quietly disruptive.
Someone like Batum would definitely be a huge lift for the 76ers. With the team still reeling from the untimely injuries to Kelly Oubre and Trendon Watford, as well as the frequent absences of Paul George, they most certainly need a stabilizer at the forward position.
To make Batum an even more attractive trade piece, he is on a very moderate contract which will last until next season, giving prospective buyers for his services some semblance of inexpensive roster control.
Nicolas Batum is still a very good rotation piece, so the 76ers better hope that Clippers continue their free-fall for the stars to align even better.