Nicolas Batum says he had 17 options in free agency

“Victor played a ‘Wemby game.’ He was imposing in defense and varied things in attack. It’s something we’ve never really known before in the France team,” captain Nicolas Batum said. “It’s a great asset for us, one we will be able to use in many situations.” The 20-year-old San Antonio Spurs star combined well with veteran Minnesota Timberwolves center Rudy Gobert in their first outing together for France. The 32-year-old Gobert was named the NBA Defensive Player of the Year for a record-tying fourth time, with Wembanyama second in the voting. “There’s still work to be done,” Batum said, looking ahead to the Olympics. “But when you have two greats [Wembanyama and Gobert], it helps a lot.” -via ESPN / July 4, 2024

ClutchPoints: Nicolas Batum and the rest of France tried pranking Victor Wembanyama😅 (via @FRABasketball) pic.twitter.com/d31OTm7xFa -via Twitter @ClutchPointsApp / July 3, 2024

While Jones is the new Covington, Batum’s return is an upgrade on the player he was essentially traded for, PJ Tucker. While Tucker opted into the final year of a deal that will pay him $11 million in a season when he will turn 40, the Clippers are expected to part ways with him this offseason, either via a trade or the stretch provision, according to a team source. -via New York Times / July 2, 2024