Yuki Kawamura arrived in Clippers training camp with plenty of buzz, but the path in front of him is steep.
The LA Clippers signed the fan favorite earlier in the offseason to a one-year, non-guaranteed Exhibit-10 deal, giving him a chance to prove he belongs. It was the kind of move that immediately caught attention because Kawamura is widely loved for his flashy scoring and playmaking. But a training camp invite only gets you so far.
The problem for Kawamura is the roster math. With the Clippers’ 15 standard contracts and three two-way slots essentially locked in ahead of media day, his margin for breaking through is tiny. He can still make a case, but the front office already appears to have its group in place.
At five-feet, seven-inches, Kawamura also has a clear size disadvantage. That means he has to stand out in a big way just to force the Clippers to take another look.
If there’s any opening, it comes through a two-way spot.
Right now, LA’s three two-way players are Jalen Pickett, Jamarion Sharp, and Nick Martinelli. That group also looks likely to begin the season intact, but a strong enough showing from Kawamura in camp could change the picture.
Of those three, Pickett looks like the most realistic name to be squeezed out. Sharp is viewed as important in the center rotation, especially with Yanic Konan Niederhauser still injured and the position being the weakest area on the Clippers. Martinelli, meanwhile, is a rookie who impressed during summer league.
Pickett, by contrast, may bring value in his own way, but he is also the one the Clippers seem least tied to. That gives Kawamura at least a sliver of a route into the mix.
Still, nothing about this is easy. Kawamura has almost no room for mistakes in training camp or the preseason, and even if he does well enough to stick, more hurdles would still be waiting for him.
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