By Johnny Askounis/ info@eurohoops.net
Nicolas Batum was planning to take a break before his trade from the Los Angeles Clippers to the Philadelphia 76ers. After returning to action in NBA Sundays, he disclosed the nature of the personal matter disrupting his 16th NBA campaign. His wife, Lily, “has been through some health issues the last couple weeks before the trade.”
Batum, 34, sat out five of his first ten games with the Sixers, including three in a row, until contributing to the lopsided win over the Brooklyn Nets in Barclays Center on Sunday. Back on the floor, he logged his 1,000th regular-season appearance.
“That was always the plan, so it’s not something very fun to go through, but we have to go through it as a family, and that’s why I’m talking about it right now because I know that it’s private stuff,” the French forward revealed intentions to pause his campaign, “I can’t really, like, say what it is, but I had to be there and it’s been going on for a couple weeks now. But, hey, sometimes you have to do what you gotta do for your family. It should be okay now. She’s gonna be fine and we’ll be fine.”
Starting and lasting 24 minutes, Batum went for three points, three rebounds, and three assists versus the Nets. After jumping to 10-3 in the 2023-24 NBA Regular Season, the team coached by Nick Nurse returns to Wells Fargo Center and faces the Cleveland Cavaliers on Tuesday.
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