Rui Hachimura reportedly jumping cross-town, signing two-year, $28 million deal with Clippers – NBC Sports
Rui Hachimura reportedly jumping cross-town, signing two-year, $28 million deal with Clippers
- By
- Kurt Helin,
- By
- Kurt Helin
Published July 6, 2026 11:58 AM
Rui Hachimura, one of the top free agents still available, was hoping for a raise from the $18.3 million he made last season, coming off an impressive playoff run with the Lakers (17.5 points per game, shooting 56.9% from 3). That market was not out there, and with the Lakers’ rash of moves this offseason, he was the man standing without a chair when the music stopped
So he is jumping across town. Hachimura has agreed to a two-year, $28 million deal with the LA Clippers, a move broken by Shams Charania of ESPN. The Clippers have a team option on the second year, reports Law Murray of The Athletic. The Clippers and Hachimura’s agent (Darren Matsubara of THE•TEAM) reached a deal early in free agency and had hoped to work out a sign-and-trade with the Lakers, but no deal could be agreed to, Charania added
Hachimura is a solid pickup for the Clippers, adding a 6’8″ forward who scored 11.5 points a game and shot 44.7% from 3-point range last season and has shown the last couple of years that he can step up in the playoffs
With Kawhi Leonard headed to Toronto, Hachimura could start next to Brandon Ingram as the forwards, with Darius Garland and No. 5 pick Keaton Wagler as the guards
The Clippers can make this signing with the non-taxpayer midlevel exception, which will hard-cap them at the first apron of the luxury tax, or they can just use cap space. Either way, it likely limits what the Clippers could offer to someone like Peyton Watson, if they wanted to go after the Nuggets’ restricted free agent
Mentions
Rui Hachimura
Add favorite players, teams, and leagues with an NBCUniversal Profile
Continue
