The forward from the Los Angeles Lakers, with all of the hype, and essentially who everyone is talking about, is LeBron James. Rightfully so, the destination he chooses to sign to could be his last, which is news for the entire world, as he’s one of, if not the greatest, basketball players to ever lace his sneakers up. However, alongside James is another skilled wing, Rui Hachimura, whom the LA Clippers should pursue with all their might this summer.
Why? Well, Hachimura isn’t but 28 years old, and he dominated for the Lakers in the regular season and playoffs. In fact, he averaged 11.5 points in 68 games, shooting 51.4% from the field and 44.3% from three, then stepped into the postseason, and logged nearly 18 points per game on insane splits(54.9/56.9).
The numbers don’t lie, as they scream, loud and clear, that Hachimura deserves to be chased after by the Clippers’ front office.
Rui Hachimura fits what the Clippers need this summer in their rotation
Next season and onwards, Rui Hachimura is a player who could really help the LA Clippers’ front court. He brings great size and strength, at six-foot-eight, 230 lbs, with the ability to create his own shot, particularly in the mid-range and around the cup, space the floor, and defend to the team’s needs.
This is a word-for-word description of what the Clippers need at the four spot, and though they had it with John Collins, there’s a chance he leaves LA in the offseason, given he, too, is an unrestricted free agent.
Financially, the Clippers will have their non-taxpayer mid-level exception to send to Hachimura. This is a few million less than what he signed for with the Los Angeles Lakers in 2023; however, given the current state of the power forward market, LA’s offer might be the best on the table for the 2019-20 All-Rookie.
In the same breath, there’s no second-guessing this price tag for Hachimura. He’s young, at the start of his prime, and doesn’t possess any health concerns, making him worth every dime, nickel, and penny of the $15.1 million.
That said, the front office needs to do everything it can to get Hachimura in an LA uniform as soon as possible.
While he might’ve been on the Clippers’ most prominent rival for the last four years, he’s the perfect material for head coach Tyronn Lue; there’s no doubt about it.
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