As the old adage goes, “when one door closes, another one opens”. This was the exact story of Rui Hachimura's 2022-23 season. The Washington Wizards' glut of forwards rendered Hachimura expendable in D.C., but here the Japanese international is, having emerged as one of the key members of the Los Angeles Lakers roster. He became a crucial part of the rotation, as the Lakers completed their impressive in-season turnaround, going all the way to the Western Conference Finals after starting the season 2-10.
Even though the Lakers' postseason efforts fell short in the end, suffering a sweep at the hands of Nikola Jokic and the Denver Nuggets, Hachimura still thoroughly enjoyed his four-month stint as a Laker thus far. Per Jovan Buha of The Athletic, Hachimura called playing for one of the most storied franchises in the NBA to be “one of the best times of his life“, and that his whirlwind experience playing for the Purple and Gold was “crazy”, but in a good way.
With Rui Hachimura set to enter restricted free agency this offseason, hearing this should be a relief for Lakers fans, especially with the looming possibility of a blockbuster LeBron James move (either a trade or retirement).
Hachimura is only 25 years old, and his defensive versatility will make him a fixture of many NBA rotations for years to come, especially if he sustains his scoring output.
Circumstances did not look too promising for the Lakers prior to the February 2023 trade deadline. But with Hachimura having a blast in LA, and with Austin Reaves breaking out, they now have something to look forward to in their future — with or without LeBron James.
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