Spurs predicted to sign Lakers $18 million high-level 3-point shooter in NBA free agency

The San Antonio Spurs are coming off an NBA finals appearance this past season, but a five-game series loss to the New York Knicks shows that the franchise has some work to do this offseason.

Retaining Julian Champagnie on a team-friendly three-year deal is a nice first step towards a successful offseason for San Antonio, but the team should still look to add more shooting on the perimeter.

There are a plethora of knockdown shooters set to hit the free agency market at 6 p.m. ET on Tuesday, and the Spurs are in a fantastic position to land at least one of them.

Spurs predicted to sign Lakers free agent Rui Hachimura

In an article detailing final free agency predictions, Sportsnaut's Matt Johnson and Jason Burgos predict the Spurs will sign forward Rui Hachimura, who has spent the last three and a half seasons with the Los Angeles Lakers since being traded there from the Washington Wizards in January 2023.

Hachimura's shooting has been incredibly valuable to the Lakers over the last few years. The 28-year-old has shot over 40% from behind the arc in each of the last three seasons, including a career high 44.3% on nearly four three-point attempts per game in 2025.

Though Hachimura isn't an elite defender, he also isn't a defensive liability at the same time. The former Wizard would be a splendid addition to San Antonio's rotation, as he could take over as the starting small forward or be one of the best bench pieces in the sport.

San Antonio has some money to work with this offseason, as the team has the full $15 milliom mid-level exception and can spend $28 million in new contracts before entering the luxury tax.

In the final season of his three-year deal with the Lakers, Hachimura carried a cap hit of $18.2 million. The Gonzaga product will likely demand a yearly contract on the open market similar to that number, which would be well deserved, given that he is a high-level role player.

Hachimura would be the perfect free agent signing for the Spurs this summer. The 6-foot-8 is an elite three-point shooter who can also hold his own defensively, and fits really well in San Antonio's rotation, regardless of where they decide to play him or the minutes he receives.