Lakers News: Rui Hachimura Unpacks Los Angeles Experience Thus Far

LA's new combo forward has struggled with his shooting stroke.

Los Angeles Lakers power/small forward Rui Hachimura was the first trade domino to fall for LA during the 2022-23 NBA season. Team vice president of basketball operations Rob Pelinka traded for his services a few weeks prior to the trade deadline. Los Angeles shipped out Kendrick Nunn's expiring contract and three second-round draft picks in exchange for the 6'8" forward, a restricted free agent this summer. The results have been decidedly mixed thus far, as he has recently been demoted to a bench role in favor of some other new arrivals.

The 24-year-old recently spoke with reporters about his adjustment to his second-ever NBA franchise.

Rui talks about the transition from the Wizards to the #Lakers and the difference on the court with the absence of AD & Bron. pic.twitter.com/1Yibgb6y07

— Spectrum SportsNet (@SpectrumSN) January 31, 2023

"I think it's been great," Hachimura said of his Lakers experience thus far. "The players, of course they've been talking to me during the game, after the game, [at] the practice. Watch a lot of film, learn those plays, and [defensive] concepts and stuff. I think for me it's been easier for me to get used to this."

"I just had no idea how this was going to be, but I think so far it's good. This is a winning organization so I take this serious and I want to help this time win more games and... hopefully win a championship. For me I just [have to] study more.... focus more on details."

Across 11 games with LA (eight starts), Hachimura is averaging 10.7 points on middling .464/.286/.606 shooting splits, along with 6.1 rebounds. For his career, Hachimura boasts averages of 12.9 points on .478/.351/.764 shooting splits, 5.1 boards and 1.4 dimes.

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