Rui Hachimura arrives at the Los Angeles Lakers: What to know about LeBron James's new teammate
Going in the opposite direction are 3 second-round picks in 2023, 2028, 2029 and scoring defender Kendrick Nunn. The deal was reported by the official fanpage of both the Lakers and the Wizards, and the exchange was completed on the morning of January 24.
Here's what you need to know about the deal:
- Rui Hachimura (born 1998) is averaging 13.0 points, 4.3 rebounds and 1.2 assists per game this season. He missed 16 games at the beginning of the Regular Season because of an ankle injury
- Kendrick Nunn (27 years old) is averaging 6.7 points and has made 39 appearances for the Los Angeles Lakers this season. He had to miss the entire 2021-22 season because of a knee injury.
- Three second-round picks sent by the Lakers to the Wizards include the pick of 2023 (from the Chicago Bulls), 2028 and 2029.
- From this exchange, the Washington Wizards will receive an exception in the $6.2 million salary fund (trade exception), the same number as Hachimura's salary this season.
- Coincidentally, the Wizards and Lakers have shaken hands or been involved in quite a few recent deals, most notably the blockbuster Russell Westbrook - Kyle Kuzma taking place in the summer of 2021.
A week ago, ESPN and The Athletic reported on the Washington Wizards starting to find a new destination for Hachimura. They prioritized bringing Rui to the West and have attracted a number of offers from teams that are in need of extra scorers.
In addition to bringing the Japanese player to the negotiating table, the American Capital team said Kyle Kuzma is an impregnable name. Between Kuzma and Hachimura, the Washington Wizards chose the former Lakers player.
It is highly likely that next summer, the Wizards will give Kuzma a big contract, making him the number 1 star of the future squad next to Bradley Beal.
As for Rui Hachimura, he was actually feeling bad before the start of the season. The Athletic reported that Hachimura's agent reached out to the Washington Wizards last September with the goal of negotiating an extension.
No offers have appeared. In addition to Rui's injury related to the ankle bone, the expert said that it was only a matter of time before the Japanese striker had to leave.
As mentioned above, Wizards prioritized renewals with Kyle Kuzma, so Hachimura didn't have much of a choice. The positive point is that he will go to the Lakers, where he can give wings to his career.
Hachimura is only 24 years old and his greatest strength is shooting. Despite his large stature, he is relatively agile and flexible. If she makes good use of her opportunities, Rui can completely sublimate next to the duo LeBron James and Anthony Davis.
A notable point is that Hachimura will reunite with Russell Westbrook, the man that the Japanese bigman likes and admires very much. The two were teammates in the 2020-21 season and at that time, Rui was impressed with the knowledge and advice that Westbrook gave him.
