After the Los Angeles Lakers finished practice on April 23, Anthony Davis was asked by reporters to talk about Rui Hachimura, who has played excellent thus far in the Memphis Grizzlies series.
“Confidence been like that since he got here,” Davis said. “He’s getting a lot more minutes, especially in this series and late down the stretch of the season. He is constantly working on his game. He’s been working with the coaches to know what shots he’s gonna get in the series and he’s been shootin’ ’em and playin’ well. So he’s been a huge part of our success since he’s gotten here, especially in the two games that we’ve won and he’s only gonna continue to get better. He loves to work. He don’t complain. He go out and play hard and make the right read. So we’re glad to have him here.”
Hachimura is averaging 21.7 points 5.3 rebounds while shooting 66.7% from the field, 75.0% from beyond the arc and 80.0% from the free-throw line against the Grizzlies. The Gonzaga product is third on the Lakers in points per game, trailing only LeBron James (24.7) and Davis (22.0).
Los Angeles is up 2-1 on Memphis. The purple and gold will look to take a commanding 3-1 lead in the best-of-seven series in Game 4, which is on April 24 at Crypto.com Arena.
The Lakers Are Predicted to Lose Rui Hachimura This Summer
Zach Buckley of Bleacher Report predicted on April 13 that Hachimura would sign an offer sheet with the Indiana Pacers and the Lakers wouldn’t match it. Hachimura becomes a restricted free agent this offseason.
“L.A.’s midseason roster reconstruction started with its late January trade for Rui Hachimura, which cost the club three second-round picks (plus Kendrick Nunn for salary-matching purposes). The Lakers did this deal knowing the fourth-year forward has restricted free agency awaiting him this offseason,” Buckley wrote. “That suggests they have at least some level of interest in retaining him. At what cost, though? He’s a skilled scorer inside the arc, and his 6’8″, 230-pound frame gives him the look of an effective two-way player. His defense has never matched his physical tools, though, and he similarly underwhelms as a passer and perimeter shooter, too. It would make sense for the Lakers to match an offer sheet for Hachimura to a certain point, but there’s a pay rate at which L.A. would be best to walk away. Given his age (25) and pedigree (No. 9 pick in 2019), he just might exceed that rate on the open market. Prediction: Hachimura signs offer sheet with the Indiana Pacers and Lakers decline to match.”
The Lakers acquired Hachimura from the Washington Wizards in January. The 25-year-old swingman appeared in 33 games with the LakeShow and averaged 9.6 points and 4.7 rebounds while shooting 48.5% from the floor, 29.6% from 3 and 72.1% from the charity stripe.
The Lakers Acquired Rui Hachimura With the Intention of Re-Signing Him
ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski reported in January that the Lakers acquired Hachimura from the Wizards with the intention of re-signing him. Hachimura will become a restricted free agent once Los Angeles offers him a qualifying offer of $8.5 million.
Jovan Buha of The Athletic reported in January that Hachimura is “expected to command a double-digit annual salary” this summer. As a restricted free agent, Hachimura can either re-sign with the Lakers or sign an offer sheet with another team. Los Angeles can match any offer sheet Hachimura signs as long as it comes within 48 hours.
“Internally, Los Angeles is high on Hachimura, believing he has untapped potential that he wasn’t able to show with the Wizards after they chose to prioritize Kyle Kuzma and Deni Avdija,” Buha wrote. “The Lakers are interested in retaining Hachimura and currently expect to re-sign the restricted free agent this offseason, league sources told The Athletic. According to those sources, Hachimura is expected to command a double-digit annual salary though much lower than his nearly $19 million cap hold.”
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Lakers Star Anthony Davis Sends Strong Message on Rui Hachimura