Rui Hachimura will remain in Los Angeles for the upcoming season—but not with the Lakers. The Japanese forward has signed a two-year contract with the Clippers as a free agent.
According to ESPN insider Shams Charania, the Clippers and Hachimura had agreed early in free agency to work out a deal together. Initially, both sides hoped for a sign-and-trade with the Lakers to facilitate the move. However, the Lakers rejected such an arrangement.
Consequently, the Clippers and Hachimura decided to complete the move without the involvement of their crosstown rivals. The 28-year-old has signed a two-year, $28 million contract, allowing him to remain in his adopted home of Los Angeles.
Hachimura has played for the Lakers in recent years after moving to California from the Washington Wizards in 2023. With his signing, the Clippers are strengthening their rotation at the forward positions with a scorer who can also defend multiple positions on the defensive end.
