NBA Rumors: Free Agent Nicolas Batum Has These 5 Teams Interested

As of yesterday, Los Angeles Clippers forward Nicolas Batum declared himself a free agent by declining his $3.3M player option. As of today, no less than 5 teams are expected to go after him. 

Nicolas Batum will have interest from multiple teams, including the Lakers and Celtics, in free agency, league sources told @ChrisBHaynes.

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According to Yahoo Sports' Chris Haynes, "it is anticipated that the Los Angeles Lakers, Chicago Bulls, Boston Celtics, Phoenix Suns and Utah Jazz will have strong interest in trying to pry away the 14-year veteran from Clipper Land, sources said.

Each of those teams could use another floor-spacing forward. Batum averages 36% from three in his 14-year career, and has ratcheted that up to better than 40% in each of his last two years with the Clippers. 

Haynes does also note the Clippers are "in the driver's seat," and that Batum is "widely expected" to re-sign a new two-year deal. The 33-year-old forward recently said, after being scooped off the scrap heap by the Clippers two years ago, that Clippers coach "Tyronn Lue saved my life.”

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