Former Lakers forward Rui Hachimura has agreed to a two-year, $28 million deal to join the Clippers on Monday, according to ESPN.
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Shams Charania of ESPN reported that Hachimura, who spent part of four seasons with the Lakers, and his agent “came to an understanding with the Clippers” early in the free agency period but delayed any movement until the Lakers completed their offseason moves.
“The Lakers didn’t cooperate on an agreement, so the Clippers and Hachimura moved forward to keep him in his desired location,” Charania said on X.
Hachimura, who was traded from the Washington Wizards to the Lakers in 2023, started 98 of 228 games for the Lakers, averaging 12.6 points and 4.6 rebounds. The 6-foot-8 forward has proven to be a reliable scorer both in the paint and beyond the arc, shooting 49.9% from the field and 39.4% from 3-point range.
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He joins a Clippers frontcourt that added Brandon Ingram but lost Kawhi Leonard and John Collins. The departure of Leonard to the Toronto Raptors and Collins to the Detroit Pistons gave the Clippers financial flexibility that enabled them to pursue Hachimura.
Known largely for his scoring versatility, Hachimura has made a cultural impact as the first Japanese-born player to be a first-round NBA draft pick.
The former Gonzaga star was the ninth overall pick taken by the Wizards in 2019 after a consensus All-America season with the Bulldogs. He earned All-Rookie Second Team honors and helped the Lakers win the 2023 NBA Cup.
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