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Rui Hachimura joins Clippers, Pacific Division roundup
Rui Hachimura heads to the LA Clippers and Tyronn Lue dedicates the opener to Steve Ballmer on a quiet game night around the Pacific Division.
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Clippers make the loudest noise off the floor
There were no Pacific Division games on Thursday, but plenty of movement in the news cycle. According to Hoops Rumors, Rui Hachimura wanted to remain with the Los Angeles Lakers in free agency. The team, however, reportedly informed him they didn’t plan to bring him back. The Japanese forward instead chose the LA Clippers, signing a two-year, $28 million contract with the cross-town rival.
On the court, the Clippers are off to a 1-0 start. CBS Sports reports that head coach Tyronn Lue dedicated their opening-night win over the Sacramento Kings to suspended owner Steve Ballmer. As Hoops Rumors notes, with Kawhi Leonard gone and several key players sidelined to open 2026-27, Lue faces what is described as his toughest challenge with the franchise, even if the early results are encouraging.
Lakers move on as Hachimura crosses the hallway
The Lakers, also sitting at 1-0, are turning the page on Hachimura after choosing not to re-sign him, per Hoops Rumors. No further reasons are detailed, but the outcome is stark: the Lakers lose a forward, while the Clippers add depth on the wing. On the floor, Los Angeles remains one of the focal points of the division thanks to a strong opener and the ever-present spotlight around the franchise.
Warriors: Lendeborg’s eventful debut and hot takes on Curry
For the Golden State Warriors, the season started with a lopsided loss to the Lakers, dropping them to 0-1. Hoops Rumors highlights rookie forward Yaxel Lendeborg, who logged a team-high 29 minutes in his NBA debut, finishing with 12 points and three rebounds in the blowout defeat, a game that also featured some trash talk exchanges with an opponent.
CBS Sports adds that Lendeborg said he “lost all respect” for Luka Doncic that night, expressing frustration with what he saw as constant complaining. In a separate piece framed explicitly as “one-game overreactions,” the outlet even floats the provocative notion that the Warriors should consider trading Stephen Curry after just 48 minutes of basketball. It’s presented as intentionally exaggerated, but underlines how closely Golden State’s rocky start is being watched.
Elsewhere in the division, the Phoenix Suns (0-1) and Sacramento Kings (0-1) stayed out of Thursday’s headlines, but their slow starts will color the picture in a Pacific Division already drawing plenty of early-season attention.