With the February trade deadline fast approaching, the Los Angeles Lakers decided to make a move. The team traded guard Kendrick Nunn and three second-round picks to the Washington Wizards in exchange for forward Rui Hachimura, who has yet to make his debut for the purple and gold. So when Keldon Johnson and the San Antonio Spurs travel to Los Angeles to play the Lakers on Wednesday night, every Lakers fan will be dying to know: Is Rui Hachimura playing tonight vs. the Spurs?
Rui Hachimura status vs. Spurs
Following their loss to the Clippers, Lakers head coach Darvin Ham confirmed Hachimura will be available to play for Wednesday's showdown, per a tweet from ClutchPoints' Michael Corvo.
Hachimura, 24, is in his fourth year in the NBA since the Wizards selected him with the ninth overall pick back in the 2019 draft. The Japanese native has yet to live up to lofty pre-draft expectations, and the injury bug is arguably the biggest reason why. Injuries have limited Hachimura to just 117 career games across three-plus seasons, and he's never played more than 57 in any single season.
Hachimura is averaging 13.0 points, 4.3 rebounds, 1.2 assists, 0.4 steals, and 0.4 blocks across 30 appearances in 2022-23 (zero starts). A versatile defender and capable long-range shooter, Hachimura's skill set should fit like a glove on the Lakers. However, don't mistake this move by Los Angeles as a needle-moving one. The Lakers are still a trade or two away from legitimate title contention, even in a Western Conference that's relatively wide-open at the moment.
But with regard to the question, Is Rui Hachimura playing tonight vs. the Spurs, the answer is yes.
Follow Us
Subscribe