Forward Rui Hachimura agrees to a 2-year, $28M deal with Clippers, will leave Lakers, AP source says

Free agent forward Rui Hachimura and the Los Angeles Clippers have agreed on a two-year contract that would be worth $28 million if a team option for 2027-28 is exercised, a person familiar with the talks said Monday.

The person disclosed the financial details to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because those numbers were not disclosed by either side. ESPN and the Los Angeles Times were among the first to report the deal's potential value.

"Rui is an elite 3-point shooter and an efficient mid-range scorer who uses his size to exploit mismatches,” Clippers basketball operations president Lawrence Frank said after the signing was completed Monday. “He will strengthen our frontcourt with his one-on-one defense and ability to space the floor. Rui is also a well-liked and respected teammate who continues to grow his game. We’re excited to add him.”

Hachimura will be joining his third team, after splitting his first eight NBA seasons between the Washington Wizards and Los Angeles Lakers. His departure means all five players that the Lakers started in Game 1 of last season's playoff run — Hachimura, LeBron James (still choosing a new team), Deandre Ayton (trade to Washington), Marcus Smart (agreed to sign with Houston) and Luke Kennard (agreed to sign with Phoenix) — will play elsewhere this season.

Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves, both of whom will remain with the Lakers, would have been starters for that Game 1 but were injured.

The 28-year-old Hachimura, who played his college basketball at Gonzaga, averaged 11.5 points and shot 44% from 3-point range last season.

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AP NBA: https://apnews.com/nba