It’s no secret that the Los Angeles Lakers are looking to upgrade the roster at the NBA trade deadline next week, but one main issue that the Lakers have run into is their lack of available trade assets. One player who could garner trade interest across the league is Rui Hachimura, who is now among the longest-tenured players on the team. However, if the Lakers do decide to move Hachimura, it would be under one condition.
The Lakers have reportedly made Rui Hachimura available in trade talks with the deadline one week away, but only as a means to upgrade the roster rather than simply jettison salary, as per longtime NBA insider Marc Stein. Hachimura probably one of the Lakers’ best trade assets as far as on-court production, and he has an expiring contract as well. The front office isn’t going to give him up just because.
Hachimura recently made his return to the lineup after missing seven games due to calf injury. After an initial slow start to coming off the bench upon his return, Hachimura has seemingly found a rhythm, and it’s shown judging by the Lakers’ four wins in their last five games.
He was a driving force behind the Lakers’ big win against the Dallas Mavericks last Saturday with 17 points and eight rebounds. He followed that up with a 23-point effort in the win against the Chicago Bulls on Tuesday, while missing only two shots (9-of-11).
This season, Hachimura has appeared in 35 games, including 27 starts, at a little over 30 minutes per game. He’s been averaging 12.5 points and 3.6 rebounds with splits of 51.1 percent shooting from the field, 43.9 percent shooting from the 3-point line and 75.6 percent shooting from the free-throw line.
Hachimura has also become one of the NBA’s best catch and shoot players. His current 3-point percentage is the second-highest mark of his career.
