The Los Angeles Lakers made the decision to let Rui Hachimura walk in free agency. This was after LeBron James had already let the organization know that he wasn’t going to return. Despite Hachimura being a solid shooter, they decided to let him go.
Hachimura stayed in Los Angeles and decided to sign a deal with the Clippers. Instead of re-signing Hachimura, the Lakers decided to go on a spending spree to shore up the bench and add less-established players to the roster. It was a curious decision for a team that wants to compete for a title.
An insider recently revealed why LA made the decision to let Hachimura sign with their crosstown rivals.
GettyLos Angeles Lakers forward Rui Hachimura drives the ball in a game. (Photo by Joshua Gateley/Getty Images)
Lakers Insider Explains Why Rui Hachimura is no Longer on the Team
Dan Woike of The Athletic was on The Zach Lowe Show, and he spoke about why Hachimura is no longer on the Lakers’ roster.
“I think perhaps he had too limited an offensive skill set. Made every shot, but they want guys who can dribble, pass, and shoot…I think they just wanted a team higher-impact defender.”
It seems that Los Angeles wanted someone who could handle the ball a little bit better, even if Hachimura is a fantastic outside shooter. This past season in Los Angeles, he shot 44.3 percent from beyond the 3-point arc. Losing that production is going to hurt.
The Lakers are expecting to replace his production with some of the many players they signed in free agency. Without Hachimura in the starting lineup, they will be relying on new faces to take that spot. They still have a roster spot to fill that potential starting role, as well.
Los Angeles was able to maximize Hachimura’s skill set, but he never seemed to get the credit that he deserved. He was not appreciated the way that he should have been. Now, the Lakers are going to take a risk by letting him walk for nothing.
GettyUtah Jazz center Walker Kessler reacts during a game. (Photo by Chris Gardner/Getty Images)
Los Angeles is Taking a Giant Risk on the Current Core
After the trade for Walker Kessler was made, LA no longer has any tradable first-round picks. That means that the current core of the roster is the one they will be rolling with for the next few years. The Lakers are taking a massive risk with that trade and are expecting him to be a top-tier center.
Last season, Los Angeles had the 11th-worst defense in the NBA. Adding Kessler, who is a premier shot-blocker, should help increase that number. Of course, Kessler has a major problem with his availability. He has injury concerns that cannot be ignored.
Rob Pelinka is taking some big swings to build the proper team around Luka Doncic and deliver a championship. If they can’t get it done in the next couple of years, Pelinka could see his seat get very warm.
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