Long before his move across the city of Los Angeles, Rui Hachimura had spoken about how important confidence from a coaching staff was to his game. Even after helping the Lakers reach the Western Conference Finals in 2023, his role often fluctuated, leaving questions about where he truly fit in the team’s long-term plans.

Now, with the Clippers handing him a fresh opportunity and a more clearly defined role, Hachimura spoke about what’s expected of him.

“I’ve spoken with the Clippers coaching staff and they want me to shoot my three-pointers, of course,” Hachimura said in his native Japanese language (h/t Black Samurai/Instagram. “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.”

The Lakers ran their offense primarily through Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves, with Hachimura as a stationary shooter and floor-spacer rather than a moving piece in the action. Law Murray of The Athletic reported that Hachimura was on Luka Doncic’s list of players he wanted to keep, but the Lakers were unable to match the Clippers’ offer after prioritizing Walker Kessler, Sandro Mamukelashvili, and Quentin Grimes.

Hachimura averaged 17.5 points and 4.0 rebounds while shooting 54.9% from the field and 56.9% from 3-point range across the 2026 playoffs. Clippers basketball operations president Lawrence Frank said: “Rui is an elite 3-point shooter and an efficient mid-range scorer who uses his size to exploit mismatches. He will strengthen our frontcourt with his one-on-one defense and ability to space the floor.”

What Hachimura’s Arrival Tells Us About Where the Clippers Are Headed

The Clippers traded Kawhi Leonard (*on hold) to the Toronto Raptors for Gradey Dick and Brandon Ingram earlier in the offseason, completing a roster change that has also seen John Collins depart for Detroit and Bogdan Bogdanović head to Houston. What remains is a team built around Ingram, Garland, and now Rui Hachimura, three players who collectively represent a pivot away from the star-dependent model that defined the Clippers’ Kawhi-and-George era and toward a more balanced, motion-heavy identity

Marc Stein reported that Hachimura preferred a move to the Clippers over opportunities to join the Minnesota Timberwolves, Golden State Warriors, Dallas Mavericks, and Brooklyn Nets, a choice that prioritized fit and Los Angeles proximity over both higher-profile championship contenders and potentially larger markets. The Clippers are rebuilding, not contending, but for a forward who spent four years in the shadow of Doncic and LeBron James, the chance to be a primary piece of a system built around his strengths may be exactly the chapter that makes the last four years look like a very expensive warmup.