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Rui Hachimura is all too familiar with Crypto.com Arena.
The forward spent three-plus seasons with the Lakers before signing with the Clippers on a two-year, $28 million deal this summer. Hachimura kept things lighthearted in his return for the crosstown showdown as he jokingly attempted to enter the Lakers locker room pre-game.
Hachimura eventually wandered into the visitors’ locker room where he joined his new Clippers teammates.
Hachimura and the Lakers shared mutual interest in a reunion this offseason, but the wing ultimately decided to join the crosstown rivals amid a summer filled with scandal for the Clippers.
The NBA punished the Clippers for circumventing the salary cap, stripping the team of five first-round picks, issuing a $30 million fine, and suspensions for owner Steve Ballmer and president of baseball operations Lawrence Frank.
Hachimura, however, has expressed full confidence in the organization and revealed he joined the Clippers because of their outstanding treatment of players.
The 2026-27 campaign marks an important year for both Los Angeles franchises. For the Lakers, Luka Doncic must prove he can shoulder the load as the team’s leader and help the franchise win a title in the near future.
For the Clippers, the organization must prove it can bounce back from one of sport’s biggest scandals.