On Monday, the Los Angeles Lakers made a significant trade, acquiring forward Rui Hachimura from the Washington Wizards in return for guard Kendrick Nunn and three second-round draft picks.
But general manager Rob Pelinka reminded the public that there could be at least one more move on the way before the Feb. 9 trade deadline.
Rob Pelinka said the Rui Hachimura trade was “an opportunity to strike early” in a mostly dormant trade market so far but added, “it doesn’t mean our work is finished.”
— Dave McMenamin (@mcten) January 25, 2023
The Lakers have been starving for productive wings with length over the past couple of years. It has resulted in them employing lots of three and four-guard lineups, which have compromised their defense and rebounding.
Hachimura will greatly address that hole, as he stands 6-foot-8, weighs 230 pounds and has an impressive 7-foot-2 wingspan.
He is best known for his ability to score from the midrange area, but he is also efficient at or near the rim, as he’s shooting 80.3 percent from three feet and in so far this season.
The Japan native has also shown some ability to space the floor. Although he is shooting just 33.7 percent from 3-point range this season, he is making 40.0 percent of his attempts from the corners, and he hit 44.7 percent of his 3-balls last season.
His defense has been questioned by some pundits, but he seems to have the tools to be above average in that department, and perhaps a change of scenery will result in him playing some improved defense on a consistent basis.
The Lakers’ roster now more closely resembles what they had when they won the NBA championship three seasons ago with a big and athletic roster. However, they still need more 3-point shooting, and if they make another move, it would likely be to address that need.
One player they have been linked to is the Detroit Pistons’ Bojan Bogdanovic, who is shooting a very high percentage from downtown on an ample volume of attempts. The Lakers are still reportedly interested in him, but they have been unwilling to give Detroit the unprotected first-round draft pick it has demanded in return.
