The LA Clippers have had talent on their roster since owner Steve Ballmer took over the team.
Paul George, Blake Griffin, Chris Paul and Kawi Leonard have been part of the LA Clippers franchise in recent years.
Despite not winning the championship, Ballmer is extremely ambitious and has tried to bring the best of the NBA players to LA.
However, although the team has taken gambling, some teams have proven to fail, such as bringing George by trading MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander.
Nicholas Batam is certainly one of them, but when he was first signed there were many questions surrounding his ability to play for a team like the Clippers.
Batum’s NBA career began with the Portland Trail Blazers and played a key role in the best teams at the Western Conference.
He then traded with the Charlotte Hornets in 2015, when Batam continued to perform at a high level, offering him a five-year, $120 million contract.
At the time, it was a big deal, but he couldn’t justify it with his performance and was eventually abandoned by the franchise in 2020.
It didn’t take long for Batam to score a spot on another NBA team as the Clippers called and he became one of the key pieces on their roster.
“It saved my career,” he said when asked about his move to the Clippers after being abandoned.
“I was in France, so the time lag, I was cleaning the living room and toys with my son.
“I’m, OK, I’m going to retire. I thought I was finished. Who wants me?” Batum was added.
Batam’s ability to shoot the ball and defend at a high level was why the reason behind him became an important part of their roster.
In his first stint as a clipper, Batam shot over 40% of the ball in two of his three seasons, helping his team with his defensive glow.
He was then traded to the Philadelphia 76ers in a James Harden deal, where he posted elite figures, but was re-signed by the Clippers before the 2024-25 offseason.
Batum responded to the team’s play-in game victory against the Golden State Warriors at X when he was injured, but made some big shots to return to the playoffs and help the Clippers.
His move was a gamble, but Batam has proven to be a key player for the Clippers for many years.
“The team was my most interesting. That was the Clippers. I became like the Kawi, PG, and Tailoo on the phone,” Batam said of the move.
“So for the two years I had before that terrible, I was a number contract wiser, the worst player in the NBA.
“I’ll go there on the first day and he (Ty lue) said I won’t give an F about the last two years, you’re going to play for me. You’ll play for me. And I started game one.
