Since joining the Los Angeles Lakers at the February trade deadline, Rui Hachimura has been an important part of the rotation. The six-foot-eight forward gives the Lakers additional size and length on the wings and has shown flashes of three-level scoring ability, although there is still some work to be done there.
In this edition of LeBron Wire’s “three goals” series, we will be taking a closer look at how Hachimura can improve his game throughout the coming season. The Lakers have improved their rotation this summer, adding further competition for minutes and a place within the primary eight-man rotation.
Buy Lakers TicketsIf the 25-year-old can polish a few aspects of his game, he will certainly be a shoo-in for a big role in the coming season; however, given the depth and strength of the Lakers roster, there can be no room for complacency
Here are three goals Hachimura should have for the upcoming season:
Improve his 3-point shooting
Hachimura is a career 34.7% shooter from deep. On a Lakers team that boasts LeBron James and Anthony Davis, floor spacing is essential for the team’s chances of success. In the 2021-22 season, Hachimura flashed significant value as a stretch four, converting 44% of his 122 attempts from the perimeter for the Washington Wizards – 10% more than the 2022-23 season before he was traded to Los Angeles.
If Hachimura wants to cement a big role for himself within the rotation, finding high-level consistency from deep is the best way to go about it. The Lakers need spacing, and if that can come from every position on the floor, they will be a dangerous prospect throughout the upcoming season.
Lock down on defense
Individual defensive statistics are misleading. Defense is a team project and requires all five players on the court to work in unison. However, when a team plays stringent defense, it becomes easier to spot where the breakdowns occur or when a player struggles to contain his matchup.
Since joining the Lakers, Hachimura has had moments of exceptional defense, but they have been few and far between. Instead, Hachimura has often found himself getting cooked off the dribble or losing track of his man as he navigates the intricacies of Darvin Ham’s defensive system.
Hachimura has to improve on the defensive end if he wants to play a legitimate role in what projects to be a championship-contending rotation.
Find some consistency
When Hachimura is playing at his best, he’s an impactful member of the Lakers rotation and can swing a game in the team’s favor. However, those dominant performances are often sandwiched in between some invisible games, where it’s hard to pinpoint what Hachimura brought to the table.
The goal for the upcoming season is to make the NBA Finals and give LeBron another championship ring. Having the best version of Hachimura on a consistent basis would be a huge step toward achieving that goal. Consistency is what separates the stars from the high-end role players; now it’s time to see which end of that scale Hachimura resides on.
