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With the Los Angeles Lakers looking for trade targets to improve their team, one piece that is interesting heading into the offseason is Rui Hachimura. As the Lakers rumors keep piling up, The Athletic's Jovan Buha spoke about the likelihood of the team keeping Hachimura or trading him elsewhere.
Someone would ask Buha on a scale of 1 through 10 of Los Angeles trading Hachimura this summer, with the reporter saying “5.5” and that it's “more likely than not.” He mentioned how one of the key pieces needed on the team is a center with Hachimura likely an asset to getting one.
“I think they need to look at potentially I think changing the starting lineup, and then it's a conversation of, is it Rui as the sixth man, or is it Rui going out?” Buha asked on his YouTube channel. “And you're using that to go get the center or to go get the weight. So to answer your question, right now, I would go like a 5.5. I think it's maybe more likely than not that Rui is traded, but I think it is pretty close to 50/50 right now.”
Lakers' Rui Hachimura likely to be trade piece
While some rumors have the Lakers trading Austin Reaves away, Buha would speak on how the team looks at their main stars regarding the defensive side of the ball and just in how they see the immediate future. Buha said it's Luka Doncic, LeBron James, and Reaves being the “pillars of the organization.”
“Rui [Hachimura], to me, is the pivot point with the Lakers' offseason because it's hard to make a substantial upgrade without including him both because of salary and because of his trade value,” Buha said.
“And I think, if we're being honest, I don't think the quartet of LeBron, Luka, Rui, and Austin is good enough defensively. And I think the Lakers have telegraphed that they believe in Luka, LeBron, and Austin as pillars of the organization. That, to me, would indicate them keeping them and starting them.”
“And there's always exceptions, and we don't know yet what LeBron is going to do, though, all indications are he's likely going to be staying,” Buha continued.
“So through that lens, I think the optimal way to configure the starting lineup is a center and then a multipositional defensive wing who is better than Rui on the defensive end, and you're probably going to take a step back offensively because Rui is a good offensive player, and it's hard to find someone to replace that.”
It remains to be seen what Los Angeles does with Hachimura, making for an interesting summer ahead.
