The Los Angeles Lakers have finally made a move as they close in on completing a trade for Washington Wizards forward Rui Hachimura, as the team appears to be responding to LeBron James' reported desire for the team to make trades this season rather than wait for cap space next year.
Hachimura has been on a scoring tear recently and even dropped 30 points in the Wizards’ dominant win over Orlando Magic. He has been linked with a move away from the capital for some time, and even addressed trade rumours over the weekend by saying he wants to play for a team that ‘believes’ in him.
Hachimura and the Wizards were unable to agree on a rookie extension prior to the season and trade became an increasingly likely scenario as former Lakers star Kyle Kuzma solidified himself as a priority to sign to a long-term deal in the Washington front court. The 24-year-old is making just $6.26million this season.
