Rui Hachimura’s latest comments make one thing pretty clear: his time with the Lakers left him wanting more movement, more touches and a role that let him do more than stand and wait.
That’s the thread running through what he said on his YouTube channel after landing with the L.A. Clippers. Hachimura said the Clippers are already pointing him in a different direction, one that suits how he wants to play.
“In my final year with the Lakers, I couldn't really make those cuts due to our team's (structure), so the (Clippers) told me they want me to do more of that, which makes me really happy. I also want to focus on rebounding. Grabbing the boards and pushing the pace like I used to back in the day is something I want to keep doing," Hachimura said on his YouTube channel.
That’s a notable line from a player who spent last season playing next to Luka Doncic, Austin Reaves and LeBron James, all of whom handled a heavy share of the offense. In that setup, a role player like Hachimura often winds up waiting for the play to come to him instead of being set loose in motion.
His numbers told part of that story, too. When Doncic was sidelined and Reaves missed games during the playoffs, Hachimura’s points, rebounds and assists all jumped sharply. He also took nearly half of his field-goal attempts over the last two seasons from 3-point range, which shows he doesn’t see himself as just a corner filler or a spot-up body on the wing.
That’s where the Warriors angle comes in. Golden State had some interest in Hachimura in free agency, but they weren’t willing to give up Moses Moody and sign Draymond Green to a multi-year deal at a lower annual salary in the way they would have done for LeBron James.
In some ways, the Warriors might have been the cleanest fit for what Hachimura says he wanted. Their offense is built on constant ball and player movement, which could have opened up more cutting chances than he had with the Lakers. With Golden State dealing with injury issues, Hachimura might even have found more post-up opportunities and a larger offensive role while joining a veteran team still trying to reach the playoffs.
Instead, that never happened. Hachimura signed a two-year, $28 million deal with the Clippers, and the Warriors ended up running it back with the same roster after also missing on James, who chose the Philadelphia 76ers.
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