In the week since the James Harden trade, most of the Philadelphia 76ers' new additions had seen some in-game action. The last one to do so was Nicolas Batum, as his arrival with the team was delayed due to personal reasons.
Before the Sixers took the floor against the Washington Wizards Monday, head coach Nick Nurse stated that Batum would get minutes. Despite only being with the team for a few days, the veteran forward instantly managed to acclimate himself to his new team.
Batum ended up playing 17 minutes in the blowout win and managed to put together a stellar debut. He scored 11 points on 4-for-5 shooting from the floor, including going 3-for-4 from beyond the arc.
In his first stretch on the floor, Batum showed exactly what type of value he's going to bring to the Sixers. He's an experienced veteran who knows how to move around on the floor. Batum's basketball IQ was on full display against the Wizards as he managed to relocate and knock down multiple open three-pointers.
With a star like Joel Embiid as the center of the offense, the Sixers can never have enough spacing. When surrounded by efficient three-point shooters, defenses are forced to make a decision. Either throw an extra body or two at the reigning MVP or leave shooters wide open on the perimeter.
Batum's ability to move around effortlessly on the floor draws a lot of similarities to Danny Green. He has a strong understanding of where to be, and the ball continued to find him. This is an area Batum is sure to continue improving in as he gets more acquainted with his new team.
Overall, Batum and the Sixers should be more than pleased with how things went on Monday. As a bigger wing who is known for his ability to stretch the floor, Batum is someone who could see regular minutes in Nurse's rotation moving forward.
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