Third-year undrafted point guard Yuki Kawamura signed a one-year, non-guaranteed Exhibit 10 training camp contract with the Los Angeles Clippers in August. 

The Clippers gave themselves an opportunity to retain Kawamura and evaluate him long-term by bringing him in, making him eligible for a $91,000 bonus if he is waived before the regular season begins and remains with their G League affiliate in San Diego (for at least 60 days). 

But what if he were part of the main roster for the entire season? 

Few guards in the NBA possess Kawamura's skill set, especially at his size (5-foot-7). 

He has strong motor and a good basketball IQ, and Clippers head coach Ty Lue praised his smarts during training camp. Lue said Kawamura is fast and very coachable and will get opportunities to grow and learn in his system. That's certainly a sign that the Clippers are considering keeping him around. 

Kawamura hasn't had many chances to establish himself as a regular rotation player in his two years in the league. 

He bounced between two-way deals with the Memphis Grizzlies and the Chicago Bulls before playing with the Indiana Pacers in Summer League earlier this year. 

There, Kawamura averaged 8.2 points and 4.8 assists across five games.

His offensive punch isn't foreign. He famously averaged 20.3 points and 7.7 assists during Japan's three-game stint at the 2024 Olympic Games. Kawamura dropped a career-high 29 points on France in his nation's 94-90 overtime loss, adding seven rebounds and six assists. 

Kawamura's style of play, playmaking upside, and willingness to defend make him a completely different option than Kris Dunn, for example, a nominal backup to the Clippers' starting star point guard, Darius Garland.

Could he challenge veteran Dunn for minutes immediately? Probably not. However, at 25, there is room to grow, and Lue may be seeing a low-risk, high-reward opportunity here. 

Kawamura has previously been lauded for his ability to pick up opposing players 94 feet. 

He has outstanding lateral quickness, and while his size makes him a mismatch target, he can disrupt with his athleticism, fast hands, and low center of gravity. 

Kawamura certainly has something to fight for in the preseason, as the Clippers recently opened a two-way slot after waiving 7-foot-5 center Jamarion Sharp. 

Kawamura only played four minutes in the Clippers' preseason opening win over the Golden State Warriors on Sunday. He'll need a little more burn if he is to win over the franchise's brass. However, the incentives to battle are there aplenty.