Los Angeles Lakers forward Rui Hachimura enters NBA free agency this summer, but he emphasized on Friday he was happy with his time in L.A.
“The playoff run was pretty good,” Hachimura said on ESPN's Hoop Streams. “I don't know my future, but I just want to be somewhere I can be happy. The Lakers have been good, and we're going to see.”
Hachimura's priorities appear to be the same as they were when he requested a trade from the Washington Wizards earlier this season. At that time, he just wanted to be with a team “that liked me as a basketball player, that believed in me.”
The Lakers acquired Hachimura from the Wizards in the midst of a series of moves that ultimately turned their season around. The 6'8″ forward averaged 13 points on relatively average shooting splits in 30 games with Washington over the first half of the season.
He assumed a slightly smaller role with L.A. after the trade, but Hachimura came through in a big way in the playoffs, dramatically increasing his efficiency and providing very productive stretches off the bench. He's earned himself some money this offseason and should easily find a team that values him.
The Lakers, on the other hand, are approaching an interesting free agency period. LeBron won't be going anywhere for the meantime, but the front office needs to make decisions about Anthony Davis, like whether to extend him to a long-term deal or even potentially trade him.
Locking down key role players like Rui Hachimura and Austin Reaves should be high on the priority list. Lakers fans are high on Hachimura following the postseason run, so his positive words about the organization should instill some optimism heading into the offseason.
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