Lakers Rumors: Rui Hachimura Trained For 2023-24 Expecting To Start

Hachimura is looking to have a breakout season!

The Lakers resigning young forward Rui Hachimura over the summer was seen as one of the bigger moves to the offseason. He brought a different dimension to this team last season, and now he can build on that.

He worked all offseason to add weight to his body, and he also trained to become a more consistent shooter. It seems that Hachimura had one goal in mind over the offseason and that he worked extremely hard to put himself into a position to make it happen.

“Hachimura reportedly prepared this offseason as if he’d start. And the Lakers paid him like a starting option.”

Per Keith Smith via Spotrac.com

If Hachimura does end up starting, it would give the Lakers a solid wing player alongside their two stars, Anthony Davis and LeBron James. It remains to be seen who will actually start for the team, as head coach Darvin Ham has kept it close to the vest prior to the season opener.

But Hachimura really helped unlock this team last season. His growth in the playoffs showed the Lakers just how good they could be on both sides of the ball.

He was special beyond the three-point line in the postseason, and it saw him become a top-scoring option for LA. Hachimura stepped up his game when it mattered most, and the Lakers greatly benefitted from it.

If he can consistently knock down three-point shots again this year, it would be massive for this LA squad. Defenses would need to know where he is on the floor at all times, opening up more scoring lanes for the rest of the team. 

He seems ready for a true breakout year in LA. If that happens, the Lakers would easily become that much stronger of a team, and he would be earning his new contract in the process.

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