Rui Hachimura joins Clippers, set for first game against Lakers
Archived — this story has rotated out of today’s deck. It is kept here in full.
The gist
Clippers forward Rui Hachimura signed a two-year, $28 million deal after the Lakers declined to re-sign him.
He faces his former team Friday, a crosstown rivalry game with extra meaning.
Background
Rui Hachimura is a 28-year-old forward from Japan, out of Gonzaga, now with the Los Angeles Clippers after three-plus seasons with the crosstown Lakers. He wanted to stay with the Lakers in free agency this summer, but the team told him it was not interested in re-signing him and instead spent its cap space on Collin Sexton, Walker Kessler and Sandro Mamukelashvili. Hachimura then signed a two-year, $28 million deal with the Clippers, and his first meeting with the Lakers is drawing attention.
How it unfolded
- Jan 2023Hachimura was traded from the Washington Wizards to the Lakers; he started nine of the 33 games he played for the Lakers that season.
- Sep 28, 2026He posed for photos during the Clippers' preseason media day at the Intuit Dome in Inglewood.
- Oct 14, 2026In three preseason games, including one against the Denver Nuggets at the Intuit Dome, he averaged 17 points and 4.3 rebounds per game.
- Oct 19, 2026A season preview listed him as a 6-8, 230-pound forward; last season he averaged 11.5 points and 3.3 rebounds over 68 games (41 starts) and shot 44.3% from 3-point range, fifth-best in the league.
- Oct 21, 2026In the Clippers' 121-96 win over Sacramento in the season opener, he had 10 points, eight rebounds, two assists, one block and one steal.
- Oct 22, 2026Reports said he is looking forward to facing the Lakers on Friday and again next Wednesday.
Who’s saying what
- Player
- Hachimura said his Lakers years were great and the organization took good care of him, but it was time to move on, and he is happy to be with the Clippers.
- Lakers coach
- JJ Redick called Hachimura one of the best shooters in the NBA in terms of his offensive packaging and praised his mid-range game.
- Clippers coach
- Tyronn Lue challenged Hachimura to average seven to eight rebounds a game.
Still unverified
Reports differ on Hachimura's minutes in the season opener: 32 minutes in one account versus 23 in another.