The Los Angeles Clippers re-signed 10-time All-Star James Harden on Wednesday and brought back veteran forward Nicolas Batum.
Terms of the deals were not announced but multiple outlets reported last week it’s a two-year deal worth $70 million for Harden, with a player option in Year 2 of the deal. Batum reportedly landed a two-year contract for $9.6 million.
Harden, 34, averaged 16.6 points, 8.5 assists and 5.1 rebounds in 72 games last season in his first campaign with the Clippers.
“James was everything we hoped he would be when we acquired him from Philadelphia last season: a proven scorer, gifted passer and natural facilitator who protects the ball and makes the game easier for others,” president of basketball operations Lawrence Frank said in a statement. “James cares about his craft and works tirelessly at it. We were better for his presence last year and we will be again.”
The Clippers acquired Harden from the Philadelphia 76ers shortly after the start of last season in a three-team trade that also included the Oklahoma City Thunder. Harden had sought a trade after having a financial dispute and subsequent fallout with 76ers president of basketball ops Daryl Morey.
Harden was the 2017-18 NBA MVP and a three-time scoring champion during his eight-plus seasons with the Houston Rockets. He averaged a career-best 36.1 points in 2018-19.
Harden has career averages of 24.1 points, 7.1 assists and 5.6 rebounds in 1,072 games over 15 NBA seasons.
Batum, 35, was traded from the Clippers to the Sixers in the Harden deal.
In 57 games (38 starts) with the 76ers last season, Batum averaged 5.5 points with 4.2 rebounds and shot 39.9 percent from 3-point range.
In 16 NBA seasons, Batum has averaged 10.4 points, 5.0 rebounds and 3.3 assists in 1,053 games with the Portland Trail Blazers, Charlotte Hornets, Clippers and Sixers.
–Field Level Media
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