The Wizards have traded forward Rui Hachimura to the Lakers in exchange for Kendrick Nunn, per ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski and The Athletic’s Shams Charania. As part of the deal, Washington also will get a 2023 second-round draft pick via the Bulls, a ’29 second-round pick from the Lakers and the less favorable of either the Wizards’ or Lakers’ second-round picks in ’28.
Hachimura, 24, was the No. 9 pick in the 2019 NBA draft and seemed to be unhappy in Washington. During a media availability on Saturday, Hachimura was directly asked if he had requested a trade ahead of the deadline, and he simply responded with “no comment.”
The forward will turn 25 in February, and Los Angeles now gains more talent in its frontcourt. Hachimura is averaging 13 points per game on 48.8% shooting from the field. Meanwhile, the Wizards get Nunn, who is averaging 6.7 points on 40.6% shooting this season in Los Angeles’s backcourt.
According to ESPN, Los Angeles traded for Hachimura with the intention of signing him to an extension this summer. He can become a restricted free agent during the offseason.
Both squads are the near the bottom of their respective conferences, with the Lakers sitting at 22–25 and the Wizards at 20–26. The deal won’t necessarily vault the Lakers into the playoff mix, but it’s a sign that Los Angeles is trying to bolster its roster while Washington is building for the future.
