2023-10-31 18:24:32
Nicolas Batum must pack his bags. This Tuesday morning, the Frenchman learned of his transfer to Philadelphia, where he will wear the colors of the 76ers, in exchange for James Harden, the former star of the Houston Rockets. A change which was not planned, but for which he is obliged to accept. We explain everything about this system of “trades”, a method of exchange specific to American sports and very different from football transfers.
What is a trade?
To get straight to the heart of the matter, a “trade” is a transfer of contracts of one or more players from one franchise to another. This exchange may involve two or more teams. All those concerned therefore send one or more players to another franchise, while trying to receive balanced compensation. These “trades” can take place at any time, until the “trade deadline”, set for February, a few days after the All-Star Game.
This night, Nicolas Batum found himself in the middle of such a transaction. While star James Harden, PJ Tucker and Filip Petrusev move from the Philadelphia 76ers to the Los Angeles Clippers, Nicolas Batum, Marcus Morris, Robert Covington and KJ Martin are making the opposite journey. To provide additional compensation and to match the talent of James Harden, the Clippers added several draft rounds.
The Sixers are acquiring Marcus Morris, Nic Batum, Robert Covington, KJ Martin, multiple draft picks and a pick swap for James Harden, PJ Tucker and Filip Petrusev, sources tell ESPN. https://t.co/fSOkgO5xd3
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) October 31, 2023
In addition to players, draft rounds can also be sent from one club to another. Every year, in June, teams have the right to choose two young players coming from American universities or arriving from abroad, who have submitted themselves to the “draft” to join the big American league. Two draft rounds are planned and each franchise can therefore opt for one player per round. But these choices can also be exchanged via the famous trades. Some teams can therefore choose more or less than two players depending on the exchanges made beforehand.
How are these transfers drawn?
Several data are taken into account by franchises when determining which players will be transferred. However, the objective for all is the same: to strengthen their team. However, depending on contract lengths, salary amounts or individual desires, leaders can also be exchanged. The first criterion remains the level, because no team wants to weaken, or at least endanger their long-term construction project.
Then, salaries are just as important. Because all NBA franchises are subject to a “salary cap”, a maximum amount for their entire workforce. For this 2023-2024 season, the salary cap has been set at $136.021 million. It is therefore not possible to stack the stars with millions, as can be achieved in football. All the teams flirting with this “salary cap”, they therefore seek to exchange players for a relatively balanced total salary.
Finally, the different franchises cannot have a bloated workforce either. In total, it is not authorized to have more than fifteen players under contract in the same team. Three “Two-way” contracts can be added, but these players mainly play with the second team, in another division called “G-League”. Their appearances in the NBA are rare and regulated. In the middle of the season, as is the case for the transfer of James Harden and Nicolas Batum, exchanges must therefore also be balanced in terms of the number of players, to avoid exceeding this ceiling.
Do players have a choice?
“Nothing personal, it’s just business.” The NBA’s credo is clear, business comes before feelings towards the players. They are therefore dependent on the wishes of their teams and can, against their will, be sent overnight to the other side of the United States. Nicolas Batum had probably not anticipated his departure, he who had published a photo with his Los Angeles teammates a few hours earlier on his social networks.
Some players may have been devastated by these exchanges. This was particularly the case for Derrick Rose, who began his career with the Chicago Bulls before being sent to the New York Knicks in June 2016. Then in the middle of an interview, the former best player in the league learned the news on the phone via his agent. Upset, the leader could not hold back his tears. Because it’s a whole life that changes, even more so in the heart of the season. Nicolas Batum should also discover his new team in the coming days, before being joined by his family, who will also have to change their lives and rebuild everything, 4,350 km from their previous home.
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