Former Gonzaga star Rui Hachimura signing with Clippers

Former Gonzaga star Rui Hachimura and the Los Angeles Clippers have agreed on a two-year contract that would be worth $28 million if a team option for 2027-28 is exercised, a person familiar with the talks said Monday.

The person disclosed the financial details to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because those numbers were not disclosed by either side. ESPN and the Los Angeles Times were among the first to report the deal’s potential value.

Hachimura will be joining his third team, after splitting his first eight NBA seasons between the Washington Wizards and Los Angeles Lakers. The 28-year-old forward averaged 11.5 points and shot 44% from 3-point range for the Lakers last season.

“Rui is an elite 3-point shooter and an efficient mid-range scorer who uses his size to exploit mismatches,” Clippers basketball operations president Lawrence Frank said after the signing was completed Monday. “He will strengthen our frontcourt with his one-on-one defense and ability to space the floor. Rui is also a well-liked and respected teammate who continues to grow his game. We’re excited to add him.”

Hachimura spent three seasons at Gonzaga. He was a consensus first-team All-American in 2018-19, when he averaged a team-high 19.7 points per game and helped lead the Zags to the Elite Eight of the NCAA Tournament.

Hachimura then made history as the first Japanese-born player to be selected in the first round of the NBA Draft. He was drafted by the Wizards with the No. 9 overall pick in 2019.

Hachimura’s departure means all five players that the Lakers started in Game 1 of last season’s playoff run — Hachimura, LeBron James (still choosing a new team), Deandre Ayton (trade to Washington), Marcus Smart (agreed to sign with Houston) and Luke Kennard (agreed to sign with Phoenix) — will play elsewhere this season.

Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves, both of whom will remain with the Lakers, would have been starters for that Game 1 but were injured.

Seattle Sports staff made additions to this post.

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