Lakers Rumors: Writer Predicts Whether Or Not LA Will Re-Sign Rui Hachimura
Your Los Angeles Lakers have many questions this offseason, not the least of which being what Rob Pelinka and company are going to do with the team's deluge of free agents.
One of the more intriguing names on that list is Rui Hachimura.
The forward just finished up his fourth season in the NBA in impressive fashion, having been a key player for the Lakers during their playoff run to the Western Conference Finals, a finish that many thought was impossible when Hachimura was acquired ahead of this season's trade deadline.
Looking at his entire playoff run, he tallied 12.2 points and 3.6 rebounds per game while showcasing his defensive versatility, particularly in the Nuggets series.
Even though Los Angeles fell to Denver, Hachimura proved himself capable of guarding the Nuggets two-time MVP center Nikola Jokic, enabling Anthony Davis to rotate easier and attack the boards.
In addition to that, Hachimura became a reliable perimeter option for the Lakers, shooting at a 49 percent clip from deep and helping to patch a whole that Los Angeles needed to fill.
As for what could happen with Hachimura this offseason, Bleacher Report's Grant Hughes sees the Lakers ultimately bringing him back on a modest three-year, $33 million contract.
His playoff run obscures it, but Hachimura was mostly the same underwhelming player during his 33 regular-season games with the Lakers, averaging 9.6 points and shooting just 29.6 percent from deep.
The playoffs carry extra weight, so we should expect the Lakers to view Hachimura as the player who shone against the Memphis Grizzlies, Golden State Warriors and (to a lesser extent) Denver Nuggets. Other teams that didn't experience The Postseason Rise of Rui firsthand might not be so thoroughly sold, which should keep offer sheets low. (Grant Hughes, Bleacher Report)
Hachimura's inconsistent NBA resume, which includes him losing his spot in the Washington Wizards' starting lineup, could wind up proving to be a surprise benefit for Los Angeles.
If teams around the league shy away from giving him a significant offer sheet because of that, it would open the door for the Lakers to save money on Hachimura -- and then be able to spend that on other players like Austin Reaves and D'Angelo Russell if needed.
It'll be interesting to see what approach other front offices around the league will take though, so Hachimura's summer will definitely be something to keep a close eye on.
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