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Rui Hachimura pens Lakers goodbye after Clippers signing
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- Rui Hachimura pens Lakers goodbye after Clippers signing
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Rui Hachimura is not leaving Los Angeles , only the Lakers as he inked a new contract in free agency with the LA Clippers . Hachimura agreed to a two-year contract with the Clippers worth around $28 million. And after news of the signing broke, the veteran forward took to social media to say his goodbye to the team that he played the last three and a half season for, as per Benjamin Royer of The Southern California News Group.
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"Thank you Lakers Nation for the past 3 years," Hachimura wrote. "We had some great moments and I will always remember the memories we made together."
After the initial days of the NBA free agency negotiation period, it became clear that Rui Hachimura's days with the Lakers were likely over . Amid a spending spree that saw the team come to agreements with Quentin Grimes , Sandro Mamukelashvili and Collin Sexton , as well as their sign-and-trade agreement with the Utah Jazz for Walker Kessler , there wasn't any room left barring a major pay cut.
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The Lakers originally acquired Hachimura in a trade with the Washington Wizards ahead of the deadline during the 2022-23 season. This past year, he emerged as one of the team's most consistent players, especially in the playoffs.
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During the Lakers' postseason run, he averaged a playoff career-high 17.5 points, 4.0 rebounds and 1.7 assists with splits of 54.9 percent shooting from the field, 56.9 percent shooting from the 3-point line and 72.7 percent shooting from the free-throw line.
The former Gonzaga standout figures to slot in as the Clippers starting power forward, a role he held with the Lakers.
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