For months, fans of the Los Angeles Lakers have criticized the team for not making a trade to improve the roster and being cautious when it came to rumored deals.
On Monday, the Lakers finally made a move, sending guard Kendrick Nunn and three second-round draft picks to the Washington Wizards for forward Rui Hachimura.
It may not be the blockbuster that makes them championship contenders fans have dreamed of, but it should move the needle.
Hachimura’s 3-point shooting is a concern. He is 33.7% from that distance this season after hitting 44.7% from downtown last season, so it is unknown whether he will help L.A. with its biggest weakness.
He may not be a bad defender, but he isn’t considered a great defender either, although at 6-foot-8 and 230 pounds and with a 7-foot-2 wingspan, he should have the tools to improve in that area.
But this is definitely a very solid trade for the Lakers, and it should bring them several benefits.
Hachimura gives the Lakers youth and upside
Last season, the Lakers were one of the oldest teams anyone could remember seeing in the NBA. They had five players who were at least 35 years of age and 11 men in their 30s.
Now, the Lakers are a much younger team, a transformation that started last offseason. Hachimura is 24 years old, while Nunn is 27, so they will become even younger.
The forward is only in his fourth NBA season, so he still has some upside, especially when it comes to the finer points of his game. He may not ever become a star, but if he improves his outside shooting and defense, he could be a fixture in L.A. for years to come.
Athleticism and physicality
Hachimura may not be an athletic freak, but he is a solid athlete who has the ability to run the floor and finish strongly in transition, which would make him a good fit for a Lakers team that loves to run and hurt teams with its fast break.
In the half court, he likes to use his strong frame to get to his spots, whether it is to set up his mid-range jumper or to get to the rim.
Hachimura is shooting 80.3% from within three feet and an impressive 53.4% from 10-16 feet.
The Lakers’ roster is now more balanced, as it has a true, productive forward with size and length. He can play both forward positions, which will hopefully mean no more three or four-guard lineups.
Less minutes for LeBron James
Despite LeBron James’ prolific play of late, he has really been packing on the minutes.He’s averaging 36.2 minutes per game and 37.7 since he turned 38 on Dec. 30.
But with Hachimura taking up a good number of minutes at both forward positions, now the Lakers can trim James’ minutes, ideally into the 32-34 a game range, without sacrificing productivity.
This would keep him fresh moving forward and possibly extend his longevity a bit.
Improved leverage for another potential deal
The Lakers didn’t give up much to get Hachimura, which means they can still shop the expiring contracts of Patrick Beverley, Russell Westbrook and possibly even Lonnie Walker IV, not to mention their 2027 and 2029 first-round draft picks.
With Hachimura on board, they will not be nearly as desperate to make something happen before the Feb. 9 trade deadline, which should improve their trade posture and possibly make it easier to make a second trade that could make them title contenders.
They still could use one more 3-and-D forward, particularly one who is an outstanding 3-point shooter, and some would argue they still need one more true center who is a shot-blocking threat, such as the Indiana Pacers’ Myles Turner.
