Rui Hachimura is already finding a different kind of comfort with the Clippers.
After spending last season in a more limited role with the Lakers, the veteran swingman says his new team has made it clear they want more from him - and in ways that fit his game better. Hachimura signed a two-year, $28 million deal with the Clippers after the Lakers’ second-round playoff loss to the Thunder in May triggered a roster shakeup that also included LeBron James’ departure.
“I’ve spoken with the Clippers coaching staff, and they want me to shoot my three-pointers, of course,” Hachimura said, via Black Samurai. “But also do more cutting.
In my final year with the Lakers, I couldn’t really do those cuts due to our team situation. So they told me they want me to do more of that, which makes me really happy.
I also want to focus on rebounding, grabbing the board, and pushing the pace. Like I used to back in the day.
I think I can contribute in a lot of different ways.”
That message is a sharp contrast from how things unfolded in Los Angeles. JJ Redick kept Hachimura in the rotation, and he mattered as a wing who helped with floor spacing and certain defensive assignments.
He also earned the trust of teammates, and there were fans who hoped the Lakers would bring him back on a team-friendly deal this summer. That never happened.
The bigger issue for the Lakers was the way the roster is built. With so much money tied up in their top three players, the supporting cast has been uneven, and the offense has leaned heavily on the stars. That left Hachimura in a more static role last season, with LeBron on the roster and fewer chances to play the freer, more dynamic style that once defined his game.
Now he’s in a different spot entirely. The Clippers don’t have a true superstar demanding the ball, and that could give Hachimura the kind of green light he hasn’t had since his Wizards days. He’s coming off a season in which he averaged 11.5 points, 3.3 rebounds, 0.8 assists, 0.6 steals, and 0.3 blocks per game while shooting 51.4% overall and 44.3% from three.
For Hachimura, the appeal is obvious: more movement, more responsibility, and a chance to do more than just fit in around the edges.
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