Clippers Release Yuki Kawamura from Roster
The Los Angeles Clippers have announced the release of Japanese point guard Yuki Kawamura, a move that occurred on Monday night and reduces the team's preseason roster to 20 players.
Kawamura, 25, has primarily been on two-way contracts over the past two seasons, playing for the Grizzlies and Bulls. He has participated in 40 regular season games since his NBA debut in October 2024, including 18 games last season with Chicago. His performance in the NBA has been modest, averaging 2.5 points and 1.7 assists in 7.6 minutes per game, while he has shown greater success in the G League, averaging 18.7 points and 11.0 assists in 11 games for the Windy City Bulls last season.
Before joining the NBA, Kawamura was a standout in Japan's B.League, where he was named the Most Valuable Player for the 2022/23 season and led the league in assists in the following season. He recently played alongside Rui Hachimura on the Japanese national team during World Cup qualifiers. In the Clippers' preseason games, Kawamura scored 10 points and recorded four assists in a recent match against Toronto.
As he was on an Exhibit 10 contract, Kawamura is eligible for a $91,000 bonus if he chooses to play in the G League and spends at least 60 days with the San Diego Clippers, the team's affiliate.
