Sixers Make Early Call on Nicolas Batum’s Status vs. Raptors

The Philadelphia 76ers don’t plan to play former Los Angeles Clippers veteran Nicolas Batum on Thursday against the Toronto Raptors.

According to the Sixers’ injury report, Batum is listed as out due to “personal reasons.” While Batum was a long shot to play against the Raptors on Thursday night, his presence on the injury report could lead to an absence from the team entirely on Thursday.

When the Sixers participated in their Wednesday practice session, the trade between the Clippers and the Sixers had gone through and became official. Therefore, Batum and his former Clippers teammates Marcus Morris, Robert Covington, and KJ Martin were in attendance for Philly’s practice at the team’s facility in Camden, New Jersey.

After the session, Sixers head coach Nick Nurse expressed doubt about the new acquisitions making their 76ers debuts on Thursday against Toronto. 

However, he left the door open for Saturday’s game against the Phoenix Suns, becoming a potential target date for their debut.

Whether Batum will be available to play then or not is unclear.

The French veteran is wrapping up the final season of his contract. After long stints in Portland, Charlotte, and recently Los Angeles, Batum didn’t expect to get moved in the blockbuster involving the ten-time All-Star James Harden.

For the previous three seasons, Batum played a significant role on the Clippers. Last year, he played a role off the bench, starting in just 19 of the 78 games he appeared in. The veteran forward averaged six points, four rebounds, and two assists while knocking down 42 percent of his shots and 39 percent of his threes.

This season, Batum appeared in three matchups with the Clippers, spending 18 minutes on the court per game. He struggled to hit his stride early in those matchups, putting up just eight points on 38 percent shooting in 54 minutes of action.

Philly hopes Batum helps boost the bench this season. After losing key contributors off the bench to free agency this past summer, Batum offers many years of veteran experience, as he’s four games shy of having 1,000 on-court appearances since 2008.