Nicolas Batum signs two-year deal with Clippers

Nicolas Batum has agreed to a two-year deal with the Los Angeles Clippers in free agency, per Adrian Wojnarowski. He declined his player option but is coming back to the team in a new agreement.

Batum got offered a maximum contract when the salary cap was being inflated artificially to account for new TV revenue, and that has largely skewed his ability as a player. He remains a reliable veteran wing option who can pass, shoot the triple and play defense. While he won’t be getting a maximum contract this summer, there’s a reason he opted out of his player option to enter free agency.

The 33-year old has been particularly good over the last few years from behind arc, shooting 40.2% from deep on 4.3 attempts per game. That may be a result of the Clippers system but it’s also a sign of Batum making an effort to improve. Prior to the last two seasons, the forward was hitting 34.4% of his shots in what would be considered his prime.