The contract extension negotiations between the Los Angeles Lakers and Rui Hachimura have reportedly broken down to the extent that they have told him they no longer want him back in the purple and gold jersey for the 2026-27 season.
According to Aron Cohen, the founder of apparently the largest fan club of the Lakers in the world, Lakers All Day Everyday, a source has confirmed to him that the Lakers informed Hachimura that they will not be bringing him back.
The 28-year-old forward averaged 12.3 points, 4.3 rebounds, and 1.1 assists while shooting 51.6% from the field and 41.5% from behind the three-point line through the four seasons that he spent on the Lakers.
He was the second-best volume three-point shooter in terms of efficiency on the Lakers’ roster in 2025-26 after Luke Kennard, where he averaged 11.5 points, 3.3 rebounds, and 0.8 assists while going 51.4% from the field and 44.3% from behind the three-point line. Neither of those players will be back for the Lakers in 2026-27.
Hachimura played out a three-year, $51 million contract extension with the Lakers, where he earned $18.2 million in 2025-26. So he would ideally be looking for a deal valued at over $20 million per year ($27.4 million cap hold) in free agency.
Despite starting the offseason with the most salary cap space to sign Hachimura, the Lakers decided against it after the key additions of Walker Kessler, Collin Sexton, Quentin Grimes, and Sandro Mamukelashvili to their roster.
So they only had room left for veteran minimum contracts. And Mamukelashvili is apparently viewed as a direct replacement for Rui Hachimura on the team.
Sandro Mamukelashvili finished the 2025-26 season with the Raptors, where he averaged 11.2 points, 4.9 rebounds, and 1.9 assists while shooting 52.3% from the field and 38.9% from behind the three-point line.
Initially, some league sources reportedly speculated that the Lakers were looking to make trades to create salary cap space for Hachimura.
“Hachimura remaining unsigned caused several league sources to wonder whether the Lakers are planning some sort of trade or using the stretch provision on perhaps Jarred Vanderbilt or Deandre Ayton to be able to offer Hachimura more,” wrote Dave McMenamin of ESPN, a few days ago.
But they seem to have eventually decided against it. However, as Hachimura remains a free agent, anything is still possible. Since Mamukelashvili rejected a $2.8 million player option, the Lakers probably anticipated that they would get him for much cheaper than what they may have had to pay Hachimura.
Moreover, the Lakers are looking to add strong defenders and players who hustle for the loose ball on rebounds, and both of those have been Hachimura’s persistent issues over the years.
Therefore, it seemed destined that (unless Luka Doncic insisted otherwise) the Lakers did not have the Japanese forward in their long-term plans. Hachimura is looking at multiple other teams currently, including the Warriors and the Spurs, as potential free agency landing spots. It will certainly be interesting to see where the Japanese sharpshooter heads for the next chapter of his career.
