Nicolas Batum Reportedly Plans to Re-Sign with Clippers on 2-Year, $11.5M Contract

Nicolas Batum has re-signed with the Los Angeles Clippers after declining his $4.9 million player option for the 2025-26 season.

Batum is rejoining the Clippers on a two-year, $11.5 million contract, according to ESPN's Shams Charani.

ESPN previously reported that Batum had considered retiring from the NBA before signing a two-year deal with the player option with the Clippers last season.

Batum went on to average 4.0 points, 2.8 rebounds and 1.1 assists while mostly coming off the bench to play 17.5 minutes per game.

He remained an efficient scorer by shooting 43.7 percent from the field and 43.3 percent from deep in his age-36 season with the Clippers.

Batum then stepped up as a key part of his team's defense during the postseason, averaging 1.7 blocks per game off the bench to help the Clippers push the Denver Nuggets to seven games.

After his team's Game 7 elimination from the playoffs, Batum told Clippers reporter Justin Russo that he would "be back, if they want me to."

Charania also reported on June 28 that there was "mutual interest" between Batum and the Clippers regarding a new deal.

The new contract means Batum can continue serving as a backup option behind Kawhi Leonard, which could potentially help convince James Harden to take his player option or re-sign for another season.

Coming back for his age-37 campaign will also mean Batum can pursue his goal of passing Peja Stojaković for the second-most three-pointers made by a European player, according to The Athletic's Law Murray. Batum is currently 11 three-pointers short of the mark.

After first joining the Clippers as a free agent in 2020, Batum re-signed with the Clippers in 2021 before he was traded to the Philadelphia 76ers at the 2023 trade deadline. He played half a season with the Sixers before signing a new deal with the Clippers in 2024.