The Los Angeles Clippers have waived Japanese guard Yuki Kawamura, Michael Scotto reported on Monday, October 12, as the team continues to finalize its roster ahead of the 2026-27 NBA regular season.
Kawamura signed a one-year contract with the Clippers on August 8 after spending the previous season with the Memphis Grizzlies and their G League affiliate. The move brings his time in Los Angeles to an end before the start of the regular season.
The 25-year-old guard made 18 NBA appearances for the Chicago Bulls in 2025-26, averaging 3.4 points, 1.8 rebounds and 2.6 assists in 11.7 minutes per game. He shot 32.7% from the field, 29.7% from three-point range and 89.5% from the free-throw line.
Kawamura also played 11 games for the Windy City Bulls in the G League, averaging 18.7 points, 5.1 rebounds and 11 assists in 33.5 minutes per contest. He shot 35.7% from the field and 34.9% from beyond the arc.
His G League production followed a promising 2024-25 campaign with the Memphis Hustle, where he recorded 12.7 points and 8.5 assists per game across 31 appearances. He also appeared in 22 NBA games for Memphis that season, averaging 1.6 points and 0.9 assists in limited playing time.
Before moving to the United States, Kawamura established himself as a productive playmaker in Japan’s top division. He averaged 20.9 points and eight assists in 56 games for the Yokohama B-Corsairs during the 2023-24 season, shooting 86.5% from the free-throw line.
MORE FOR YOU
The Clippers signed Kawamura during a major offseason overhaul that reshaped the roster around Darius Garland and Brandon Ingram. Los Angeles acquired Ingram in the trade that sent Kawhi Leonard to the Toronto Raptors, while adding several other players as part of a broader rebuilding effort.
Kawamura featured in the Clippers’ preseason game against Toronto, recording 10 points, four assists and two steals in 14 minutes. He shot three-for-four from the field, including one-for-two from three-point range, and made all three of his free throws in the 114-106 loss.
The Clippers have one preseason game remaining, against the Denver Nuggets on Wednesday, before turning their attention to the regular season.
