The Los Angeles Lakers have several critical decisions to make this offseason, including how much to spend on an extension for Austin Reaves, whether to bring LeBron James back on a short-term deal and how to handle the free agency of Rui Hachimura.
Hachimura will be 28 years old next season and has played the last three and a half years with the Lakers. The 6-foot-8 forward is a stretch big man who has averaged 12.3 points and 4.3 rebounds on 51.6 percent shooting from the field and 41.5 percent from 3-point range on 3.6 attempts per game across 228 appearances (146 starts) with the Lakers.
He has proven a capable starter/role player alongside James and Reaves, as well as Luka Doncic after them. Los Angeles is going to be intentional about building around Doncic, which means a rim-running, rim-protecting big man first and foremost. Aside from that, it means versatile defenders who can shoot from behind the arc.
Hachimura fits that bill coming and going, and has also already built rapport with Doncic and Reaves, the latter of whom is likely to return on a multiyear extension. The question, though, is one of price against value, and whether the Lakers can find a better signing elsewhere considering that formula.
Rui Hachimura Contract Predicted to Equal NBA’s Non-Taxpayer Mid-Level Exception
GettyRui Hachimura of the Los Angeles Lakers.
Bobby Marks of ESPN, a former front office executive in the NBA, wrote on Friday, May 22 that he would value Hachimura at four years and $64 million total, which Marks noted is the “equivalent to the non-taxpayer midlevel exception.”
The Lakers trading Kendrick Nunn and three future second-round picks for Hachimura in 2023 is considered one of the better value trades in recent years. Hachimura is the only player in Lakers history to have three straight seasons of at least 40% shooting from 3 on at least 150 attempts. This season, he ranked fifth in the league in 3-point percentage.
And although his scoring dipped from 13.1 points to 11.5 this season, Hachimura shot 51.4% from the field. He and Kevin Durant are the only two players to shoot 50% from the field and 40% from 3 in each of the past three seasons.
Hachimura is coming off a three-year contract worth $51 million.
Luka Doncic Wants Austin Reaves Back, Other Free-Agency Decisions Could Push Out Rui Hachimura
GettyLuka Doncic of the Los Angeles Lakers.
Los Angeles is expected to have a good amount of salary cap space after James’ $52.6 million comes off the books this summer. However, much of that money is likely to go to Reaves on his new deal.
If the Lakers re-sign Hachimura, bring back Reaves and bring back James, even at a substantial discount, there won’t be a lot of financial freedom to do much else in free agency.
Doncic wants Reaves back next year, and the No. 1 priority for the Lakers beyond that should be a big man who fits the Doncic-friendly specifications outlined above. Depending on who that player might be, and depending on how the Lakers view James’ future with the franchise, Hachimura could end up squeezed out.
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