Getty Rui Hachimura of the Gonzaga Bulldogs, who may be a draft target for the Lakers.
The Lakers entered the NBA Draft Lottery likely to find themselves picking in the back end of the lottery and that is exactly what happened. Slated to pick fourth, the Lakers are left with an absolutely fantastic selection given their unlikely odds. While this likely gives the Lakers another trade asset, there should still be some intriguing options on the board should they decide not to move the pick for Anthony Davis.
Notably, Rui Hachimura had an outstanding season at Gonzaga and looks to be a solid fit for the Lakers’ scheme. If the Lakers hold onto the pick, Hachimura could play a four or small-ball five (sparingly) that functions as a dangerous weapon from deep. The Lakers are desperate for shooting and getting a talented big who can space the floor checks a few boxes in terms of their needs.
Lakers Roster & Starting Lineup With Rui Hachimura
PG: Lonzo Ball (maybe?)
SG: Brandon Ingram
SF: LeBron James
PF: Kyle Kuzma
C: Moritz Wagner
Bench: Rui Hachimura, Josh Hart, Isaac Bonga
Why Wouldn’t Rui Hachimura Immediately Start For the Lakers?
The biggest knock on Rui Hachimura is his inability to create off the dribble and his rebounding. While not a bad rebounder, he somewhat struggled against elite competition compared to how he performed in conference play. Hachimura doesn’t possess the ideal size to play down low either but has a high basketball IQ and has a sturdy frame that should fill out a bit more as he grows at the NBA level.
Hachimura isn’t an elite defender either but has a great wingspan and looks to have the necessary athleticism to become a dangerous weapon on that end of the floor. He still has considerable room to grow on that end but an extremely high ceiling isn’t out of the question.
However, Hachimura’s lineup flexibility and deep ball should come in handy for a Laker squad desperate for floor spacing. With LeBron James and Lonzo Ball (if he stays around) both not being the greatest shooters, the Lakers need complimentary pieces in order to keep defenders out of the paint and ensure that driving lanes stay open for the pair of talented playmakers.