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Rui Hachimura decides to leave Lakers

Originally posted on Larry Brown Sports | By Grey Papke | Last updated Jul 6, 2026 12:36 PM ET

Rui Hachimura is leaving the Los Angeles Lakers, but he is not going far.

Hachimura is signing a two-year, $28 million contract with the Los Angeles Clippers, according to multiple reports. ESPN’s Shams Charania added that Hachimura had been interested in remaining with the Lakers, but when they did not move aggressively to re-sign him, he opted to stay in the city and join the Clippers.

Hachimira and his agent Darren Matsubara of THE•TEAM came to an understanding with the Clippers early in free agency on finding a deal together. The sides waited for the Lakers to complete their offseason business to pursue a sign-and-trade, but the Lakers didn’t cooperate on an… https://t.co/3v2hzswKm6
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) July 6, 2026

Hachimura is coming off three-plus seasons with the Lakers and should fit in as a rotation piece with the Clippers. He averaged 11.5 points per game for the Lakers in a role that saw him jump between starting and coming off the bench with regularity.

Ultimately, the Lakers, potentially for financial reasons, never really prioritized keeping Hachimura in the fold. He drew interest from contenders elsewhere as well, but clearly wanted to stay in Los Angeles. Fortunately for him, he did not have to look far to make that happen.

The Clippers will look very different next season after trading Kawhi Leonard. Hachimura will be one of several players expected to help fill that void.

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