Rui Hachimura Joins Clippers on 2-Year, $28 Million Deal After Lakers Balk

Q: Is Rui Hachimura's $28 million deal with the Clippers the biggest bargain of this year's free agency?

Probably not, though it looks like one of the better value deals of this free-agency cycle. At two years and $28 million, Hachimura is essentially a mid-level exception signing for a 28-year-old 6-foot-8 forward who has become an elite floor spacer. The case for it being a bargain is strong: he shot 42.6% from three over the last three regular seasons, then elevated that in the playoffs, including a 2026 postseason run in which he averaged 17.5 points and hit 56.9% from deep. For a Clippers team trying to get younger and add shooting on the wing, that is a clean fit, and the reported team option on the second year adds flexibility. The hesitation is that “biggest bargain” requires a broader comparison, and some other deals have drawn even stronger value reviews. Tari Eason’s five-year, $91 million contract has been described as a discount with clear upside to outperform it. Mitchell Robinson’s three-year, $47 million deal has also been singled out by analysts as one of the best uses of the mid-level exception. Hachimura’s limitations as a defender and rebounder also temper the claim somewhat, even if his shooting is premium. So the fairest answer is that Hachimura’s Clippers deal belongs in the bargain conversation, especially given the short term and team control, but it is difficult to call it the single biggest bargain without a fuller leaguewide accounting of all finalized deals.

3 articles · Updated · Blazer's Edge · Jul 6

$28 million over two years will send Rui Hachimura to the Los Angeles Clippers, one of the late notable moves as NBA free agency winds down.
The deal came after Hachimura and the Clippers initially explored a sign-and-trade, but the Lakers did not cooperate on an agreement.
Los Angeles remained Hachimura's preferred destination, prompting the sides to complete a direct deal instead of waiting longer for the Lakers.
Elsewhere in the same late free-agency wave, restricted free agent Quinten Post signed a three-year, $30 million offer sheet with Memphis, which Golden State can still match by Tuesday night.