Lakers Great Believes Rui Hachimura Can Get Even Better After Stellar Postseason

Here's hoping.

Los Angeles Lakers power forward Rui Hachimura heads into the 2023-24 season with a shiny new three-year, $51 million contract after joining the team through a January trade of a washed-up Kendrick Nunn and three second round draft picks. Along with that money comes a wave of expectations, on the heels of the 6'8" vet's impressive postseason play.

During the playoffs, the former lottery pick out of Gonzaga averaged mostly off the bench. His offensive upside and athleticism made enough of an impression in the playoffs (plus he did start the final game of LA's spring run) that it seems he will at least start out the year as the team's starter.

One former Los Angeles luminary, combo forward A.C. Green, thinks the sky is the limit for Hachimura, as he detailed during a fresh interview with Brandon "Scoop B" Robinson on Robinson's YouTube Selects program Scoop B Selects.

"We only had a fraction of Rui," Green opined. "We don’t know how hungry he’s gonna be right now in the offseason. You get better for next year. That full year is going to be what we’ve seen as Laker Family/Laker Nation, we like the potential. We like the upside and upscale and I wanna see the dog come out help us to continue to rise to that next level as a forward in the league and even being more aggressive and I think that comes with confidence as well as understanding your role on the team with a LeBron and an AD being on that same team and so, he has some things to work through himself but I’m telling you I love his potential."

Green won all three of his NBA titles (and was named to his lone All-Star team selection) while a Laker. "Iron Man" also suited up for the Phoenix Suns and Dallas Mavericks during a 16-year NBA career.

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