The Los Angeles Lakers were far from the only team that was keeping a close eye on Washington Wizards forward Rui Hachimura. The Phoenix Suns are rumored to have been a trade destination for the former Gonzaga Bulldogs star in a three-team scenario that also involved the Milwaukee Bucks, and it's that trade idea that gave the Lakers a clearer picture of the assets they needed to let go of to acquire the former first-round selection.

“Have learned a Phoenix-Milwaukee-Washington three-team concept, that would have sent Rui to Suns, Crowder to Bucks and three seconds plus salary to Washington, helped set the price for the Lakers’ acquisition of Hachimura,” per Jake Fischer of Yahoo Sports.

So not only did the Lakers raise their ceiling with the addition of Hachimura, but they also appeared to have sabotaged the plans of their Pacific Division rivals.

The Lakers sent guard Kendrick Nunn and his expiring contract plus a trio of future second-round picks to the Wizards to get the services of Hachimura. The draft capital the Lakers spent on this trade is pretty significant but it won't matter in the end especially if Hachimura exceeds expectations as a player for the Lakers — and if he re-signs with Los Angeles in the offseason.

Rui Hachimura can provide help at the 4-spot for the Lakers, which means he could make the life of 38-year-old LeBron James easier by taking a great load off the shoulders of the future Hall of Famer. On the season, Hachimura is averaging 13.0 points on 48.8 percent shooting from the field, 4.3 rebounds, and 1.2 assists per game. He is also shooting 33.7 percent from the field and 75.9 percent from the free-throw line.