Magic Johnson admits Rui Hachimura needs to be more aggressive in order to thrive with the Los Angeles Lakers, but that doesn't mean LA made the wrong decision to trade for him.
On the contrary, Johnson believes Hachimura's addition is going to give the Lakers a much-needed boost on both ends of the floor, citing his length and size as major tools that will be beneficial to improve the team's wing position.
“Laker Nation, Rui Hachimura is going to really help the Lakers on both ends of the court. He’s averaging 13 points and his length and size will help us on the defensive end!” Johnson wrote on Twitter.
For what it's worth, that's exactly the reason the Lakers traded for Rui Hachimura. In a statement confirming the deal, Lakers GM Rob Pelinka emphasized that they couldn't pass on the opportunity to acquire a two-way player like the Japanese star when it was presented to them.
“We are excited to welcome Rui and his family to the Los Angeles Lakers. Adding both size and depth to the wing position has been a goal, and the chance to accomplish that by acquiring a player with Rui’s two-way skills and upside was an opportunity that doesn’t present itself often,” Pelinka said of the deal.
The Lakers sent Kendrick Nunn and three second-round picks to acquire Hachimura, and it's definitely a worthy gamble considering that the 24-year old is a former lottery pick who has shown flashes of his brilliance when given the chance–something he had not been provided that often with the Washington Wizards.
It remains to be seen when Hachimura will play for the Lakers, though he has already been ruled out in the Battle of LA on Tuesday.
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