It appears forward Nico Batum will not be returning to the Philadelphia 76ers.
Nicolas Batum will not return to the Philadelphia 76ers, sources say @ElAthletic.
— Kelly Iko (@KellyIko) June 30, 2024
The Athletic’s Houston Rockets insider Kelly Iko gave the scoop at the start of free agency. Philadelphia is in a holding pattern as it will reunite with Clippers unrestricted free agent Paul George. If they can get PG a maximum of $212 million, it would mean the belt is starting to tighten a lot. So does that mean there simply isn’t enough money left to retain the ideal player? Are the Rockets about to pay Batum more than the Sixers think they will be able to?
Things remain a mystery because I think most Sixers fans were expecting the team to come to terms with Batum, who Joel Embiid specifically has stated on numerous occasions that he loves playing with.
Batum became almost indispensable the moment he joined the Sixers via the James Harden trade. The French native was perhaps the smartest player to ever play alongside Embiid. Batum’s ability to throw inbound passes on his own was invaluable, not to mention his three-point shot, his hyper-versatile defense, and his ability to snag tons of loose balls. He became the super glue for a team that desperately needed him.
We even had a Nico Batum game in the Sixers’ first play-in game.
If there was one person who surely pushed for the team to re-sign Batum, it was Embiid. The two had lockers next to each other and there seemed to be an instant bond. Remember, Embiid is fluent in French and also holds French citizenship.
As Batum spoke to reporters after the team’s Game 6 loss, Embiid made a point of letting the 35-year-old return for the 2024-25 season. However, there was speculation that Batum could retire after his run with the French national team at the Paris Olympics this summer.
It seems that, despite Philadelphia’s best efforts, Batum felt the time was right to walk away or he simply saw a better opportunity elsewhere.
“I could feel this city’s passion for sports, for the Sixers, and I got into shape right away,” Batum said after the Sixers’ final game. “Those fans… when they boo you, I said, ‘Okay, do it right.’ It’s tough right now, so you have to play better.” Like I said, this city isn’t for everyone. They’re happy, I think. I did the best I could. … It was fun. Sorry guys, we couldn’t have had a better run in the playoffs. You guys showed up and it was amazing tonight. The support was great.”
The Sixers will have some serious work to do to replace Batum’s production on the court, with a player they hope Embiid will be equally happy to have on board. If the Sixers criticize George, he would have spent a lot to retain Batum. So maybe this is a sign that something big is about to happen. Or maybe another team was quick enough to sneak in before Nico was willing to wait out Philly’s potential offer.
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