Nicolas Batum: I always say that Ty Lue saved my career. He did. Like, when I got waived—when Woj announced on Twitter—and I found out that way. Interviewer: Did you really? There was no heads-up? It was just— Nicolas Batum: I was in France, and that’s a true story. I was in France—so time difference—I was cleaning my living room and my son’s toys before putting him to bed, and my phone popped off. “V. Nick Batum got waived.” That’s how I found out. Interviewer: You’re like, “Nice business.” Nicolas Batum: Thank you. So now it’s funny, because I’m like, “Okay, I’m going to retire.” I pretty much thought I was done. I was like, who’s going to want me though, from that, at that time? And my phone started ringing—and yes, of course, the team that got the most interested in me was the Clippers. I got like everybody on the phone: Kawhi, PG, Ty Lue, Lawrence [Frank], Frank, Steve Ballmer—everybody. So I was like, “Why not?” Because I think our stories matched at that time: the bubble stuff, my season. So I was like, maybe get together.