Rui Hachimura agrees to two-year, $28 million deal with one Los Angeles team after the other declines sign-and-trade

Free-agent forward Rui Hachimura agreed to a two-year, $28 million contract with a Los Angeles team. Hachimura and agent Darren Matsubara of THE•TEAM reached an understanding early in free agency. The sides waited for the other Los Angeles team to finish its offseason moves before exploring a sign-and-trade, but that team declined to participate.

Hachimura rejected offers from the Golden State Warriors, Minnesota Timberwolves, Brooklyn Nets and San Antonio Spurs. He chose to stay in Los Angeles, where the acquiring team and Hachimura completed the deal directly. Discussions between the two Los Angeles teams on a sign-and-trade stalled after the acquiring side offered minimal cash and the other side sought draft capital in return.

Hachimura averaged 11.5 points per game on 51.4 percent field-goal shooting and 44.3 percent from three-point range during the regular season. In the playoffs he averaged 17.5 points per game on 54.9 percent from three-point range, leading all players with at least five three-point attempts per game in three-point percentage.

The Los Angeles team acquired the 6-foot-8, 230-pound forward for Kendrick Nunn and four second-round picks during the 2022-23 season.

Hachimura, selected ninth overall in the 2019 NBA draft, played the past season on an $18.3 million expiring contract and was one of eight free agents on the team's 15-man roster. The same Los Angeles team has expressed interest in restricted free-agent wing Peyton Watson.

The Hachimura signing creates roster flexibility to pursue Watson, who was born in Long Beach, California, attended UCLA and was drafted 30th overall in 2022.