In the offseason, on top of the Summer League, fans usually have some sort of basketball action to look forward to.
Last summer, the top sights for LA Clippers fans were big man Ivica Zubac and Serbian star Bogdan Bogdanovic in the EuroBasket. This time around, we have Rui Hachimura in the FIBA World Cup qualifiers, who just dropped 29 points on 11-of-13 shooting in Japan's win, giving the Clippers a strong reason to expect excellence on both ends of the court next season.
Additionally, beyond scoring, Hachimura added four rebounds, two assists, two steals, went 75% from beyond the arc (3-of-4), and played extremely good defense in just 27 minutes of action.
He was legitimately carrying Japan over Saudi Arabia, which has left Clipper Nation excited and eager for what's to come.
Rui Hachimura is going to have an amazing first year with the LA Clippers
Following the offseason signing of Rui Hachimura, fans of the LA Clippers and everyone in the organization knew what to expect. The seasoned veteran is an elite shooter, savvy mid-range scorer, crafty finisher, and can do all three efficiently.
He’s been this way since he was drafted by the Washington Wizards all the way back in 2019.
However, based on the showing we just saw from Hachimura in the FIBA World Cup qualifier, it’s clear the Clippers’ expectations will be blown out of the park.
The key takeaway from Hachimura’s performance is the impact he left, which goes beyond the stat sheet.
In the film, the 28-year-old showed a remarkably quick release, no wasted movements, an understanding of how to get to his sweet spots, and profound playmaking.
Most importantly, the best aspect of his performance was his strong defensive instincts. This was his biggest concern coming to the Clippers, who are relatively weak at the power forward spot, assuming the Kawhi Leonard trade is successful. Still, against Saudi Arabia, Hachimura was persistent in disrupting passing lanes, relentlessly trying his best to protect the rim, and ultimately keeping up with the offensive player in front of him.
If he can bring these attributes to the Clippers, which it looks like he will, Hachimura is about to have a season for the books.
The signing of him will go from good to one of, if not the best, of any team over the summer, particularly because of the value behind his contract of just $14 million annually.
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