Clippers Part Ways With 5-foot-7 Standout Guard Yuki Kawamura

Guard Yuki Kawamura has spent his whole NBA career trying to land a steady job, and the search hit another bump this week with the regular season only days away.

Back in Japan, the 5-foot-7 point guard was a star in the B.League, where he won the league MVP award in 2022-23 and led the league in assists the following season.

That run earned him two-way deals with the Memphis Grizzlies and the Chicago Bulls, and he played in 40 NBA games over two seasons while picking up fans well beyond Japan.

The Los Angeles Clippers announced on Monday night that they had waived the 25-year-old, a move that cuts their preseason roster to 20 players.

His time in camp started when he signed a non-guaranteed Exhibit 10 deal in August.

Kawamura played in both of the team's first two preseason games, and his best night came Saturday in a 114-106 loss to the Toronto Raptors, when he scored 10 points on 3-of-4 shooting with four assists and two steals in 14 minutes.

Nights like that made him fun to watch, but I never thought they would be enough to beat out players with bigger contracts and longer track records.

With Chicago last season, he averaged 3.4 points and 2.6 assists in 11.6 minutes over 18 games, and he put up 18.7 points and 11.0 assists in 11 games with the Windy City Bulls in the G League.

He was clear about his own spot at media day when he spoke about his contract status, saying "But my goal is to get a main contract or a two-way contract. Right now, I have a training camp contract."

BasketNews reported that Kawamura is expected to join the San Diego Clippers, the team's G League affiliate, if he goes unclaimed on waivers.

His Exhibit 10 deal means he would get a $91,000 bonus if he plays there and stays at least 60 days.

Some felt the team should have kept him on the main roster all year, but I think San Diego is the better fit, since he would get big minutes there and stay close to coaches who already know his game.

The move also leaves the backcourt thin at a bad time.

Wing Max Strus suffered a partial tear of the plantar fascia in his right foot during the preseason opener in Hawaii and will be reevaluated in four weeks, so guard Darius Garland and rookie guard Keaton Wagler, the fifth overall pick, will have more on their plates.

Add in the other injury news ahead of opening night, and this group cannot afford much more bad luck.

Every team has to trim down to 15 standard contracts and three two-way deals by Monday, October 19.

Before then, the Clippers host the Denver Nuggets on Wednesday in their final preseason game, and they open the season against the Sacramento Kings on Wednesday, October 21, at Intuit Dome.

My guess is that a few weeks in San Diego like his 10-point night against Toronto would put his name back on the list the next time the Clippers need a guard.