Lakers lose Rui Hachimura to Clippers, signing two-year, $28M deal
Carlos Yakimowich
Host · Writer
The Los Angeles Lakers are losing another key starter, this time to their crosstown rivals.
Rui Hachimura will be signing with the Los Angeles Clippers on a two-year, $28 million contract with the Clippers, with ESPN first reporting the deal.
Just in: Free agent Rui Hachimura has agreed to a two-year, $28 million deal to sign with the Los Angeles Clippers, sources tell ESPN. pic.twitter.com/Cixx1ZGPV3
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) July 6, 2026
The contract includes a team option for the second season.
According to the report, the Clippers and Hachimura’s representatives had mutual interest early in free agency.
Both sides explored the possibility of completing a sign-and-trade with the Lakers, but no agreement was reached, leading Hachimura to sign outright once the Lakers finalized their offseason moves.
Shortly after the news became official, Hachimura shared a message thanking Lakers fans.
“Thank you Lakers Nation for the past three years. We had some great moments and I will always remember the memories we made together.”
Hachimura becomes another key member of last season’s roster to leave as the Lakers continue reshaping the team around Luka Dončić.
He joins LeBron James, Deandre Ayton, Marcus Smart, Luke Kennard and Jaxson Hayes among the players that will no longer be with the organization next season.
The move keeps Hachimura in Los Angeles, where he is expected to take over in the Clippers’ starting lineup following Kawhi Leonard’s trade back to Toronto.
Hachimura spent three and a half seasons with the Lakers after arriving in a February 2023 trade with the Washington Wizards.
During his time with the Lakers, he averaging 12.3 points and 4.3 rebounds while shooting 51.6% from the field in 228 regular-season games (146 starts).
One of the biggest improvements in Hachimura’s game came from beyond the arc.
After shooting 35.6% from three-point range during his time in Washington, he shot 41% from 3 with the Lakers.
Last season, he shot a career-best 44.3% from deep, ranking among the NBA’s best from deep.
And in the playoffs, Hachimura was historically even better.
Across 36 playoff games with the Lakers, he averaged 13.4 points, shooting 52.6% from the field and 50.7% from three.
During this year’s playoffs, he posted career playoff highs with 17.5 points and 4.0 rebounds per game while shooting 54.9% overall and an impressive 56.9% from beyond the arc.
His departure marks the end of another chapter in the Lakers’ offseason overhaul, as they continue turning over much of the roster in preparation for post-LeBron and the now-era Doncic.
