Yuki Kawamura continues searching for his place in the NBA. The Japanese point guard has signed an Exhibit 10 contract with the Los Angeles Clippers, the franchise announced on its official X account, after competing in the Summer League with the Indiana Pacers.
It's worth understanding the fine print, because it completely changes how you read this signing. An Exhibit 10 is a one-year agreement at minimum salary with no guarantees, whose primary purpose is typically not the main roster but the affiliate: if the player is cut before the season starts and remains at least sixty days with the G League team, he receives a bonus that this year would be around $91,000.
Talent Yes, Height No
His Summer League performance offered the usual picture, with both strengths and weaknesses. He totaled 41 points and 24 assists in five games, figures that confirm his ability to run the offense and create, but his shooting betrayed him again: 11 of 32 from the field and a poor 1 of 13 from three-point range.
That's the crux of his career. Kawamura has court vision, speed, and soft hands for passing, but he lacks the inches in a league that forgives few things, and without an outside threat the window narrows even further.
From Japan to the Two-Way Contract Circuit
His name entered the international spotlight at the 2024 Olympic Games, where he averaged 20.3 points and 7.7 assists with Japan and delivered a 29-point performance against France in an overtime loss in the group stage.
Since then he has had two consecutive seasons on two-way contracts, first with Memphis and then with Chicago. Last season he appeared in 18 games with the Bulls, always off the bench, averaging 3.4 points and 2.6 assists in less than twelve minutes. His performance in the G League, with much more playing time, was very different: 18.7 points and 11 assists in eleven games.