For nearly three and a half seasons, Crypto.com Arena was home for Rui Hachimura. But when the 6-foot-8 forward walked into the familiar building for a basketball game, his return marked a sharp professional pivot.
Hachimura spent his first evening on the opposing bench after signing a two-year, $28 million contract with the Clippers in July. The transition included a humorous moment during pregame warmups when Hachimura jokingly began walking toward the Lakers locker room before reminding himself and a security guard that he no longer belonged on that side of the hallway.
The forward received a positive ovation from fans during starting lineups, accompanied by a tribute video on the Jumbotron during the first quarter. Throughout the evening, he shared lighthearted moments with franchise superstar Luka Doncic and embraced guard Austin Reaves alongside multiple Lakers assistant coaches.
Yet Hachimura made it clear that if the decision had been his, he would still be wearing purple and gold.
Following the expiration of his previous three-year, $51 million contract in late June, Hachimura entered free agency hoping to secure an extension with the Lakers. Those negotiations did not materialize, leading him to reach an agreement with the Clippers during the early stages of free agency.
“It was tough,” Hachimura said of his free agency. “That’s my second free agency. Of course I was trying to get the extension from them. It didn’t work out, but it is what it is. We have to move on at some point.
His departure was a byproduct of a sweeping roster reconstruction by the Lakers, who utilized more than $50 million in cap space to build around Doncic and Reaves. The front office acquired Walker Kessler and added several major pieces, including Quentin Grimes on a four-year, $60 million deal, Sandro Mamukelashvili on a four-year, $52 million contract, and Collin Sexton on a two-year, $19 million pact. To create the necessary financial flexibility, the Lakers relinquished the cap holds for most of their free agents, effectively ending Hachimura’s tenure.
Hachimura stated that he was unaware whether the Lakers formally offered him a new contract during the summer, placing the responsibility for his exit squarely on the franchise’s front office decisions. His camp also pursued a potential sign-and-trade with the Clippers that would have secured a longer contract, but the Lakers did not participate, leading him to sign outright.
Despite the abrupt end to his time with the Lakers, Hachimura remains deeply respected within his former locker room. Reaves recalled that Hachimura initially kept to himself upon arriving from the Washington Wizards via trade in January 2023, before eventually becoming one of his favorite teammates.
Lakers coach JJ Redick credited his coaching staff, specifically assistant coach Beau Levesque, with helping Hachimura develop a “laser mentality” that transformed him into an elite perimeter threat. During his tenure in Los Angeles, Hachimura shot 41.5% from beyond the arc overall and 50.7% in the playoffs. His 51.6% career three-point shooting accuracy in the postseason stands as an NBA record.
Now with the Clippers, Hachimura is embracing a larger offensive role. No longer playing alongside stars like LeBron James and Anthony Davis, he entered Wednesday’s matchups averaging a career-high 12.7 field-goal attempts, up from a career-low 8.8 shots last season.
While he will miss another reunion when the Lakers visit the Intuit Dome—sidelined due to quad soreness—Hachimura expressed contentment with remaining in Southern California.
“I miss them, it was a good time—was a great time with them,” Hachimura said. “I can still continue my career in LA, too, so I’m happy about that.”
