Lakers $51 Million Starter ‘Has Some Appeal’ to Potential Trade Partner

Getty Rui Hachimura #28 and Austin Reaves #15 of the Los Angeles Lakers celebrate against the Brooklyn Nets.

While the draft pick compensation remains the sticking point in a potential Jerami Grant trade for the Los Angeles Lakers, one of their starters is drawing interest from the Portland Trail Blazers.

According to Sean Highkin of The Rose Garden Report, Lakers’ Japanese forward Rui Hachimura “has some appeal” to the Trail Blazers as part of the outgoing package for Grant.

However, Portland remains steadfast in its high asking price for Grant: the Lakers’ two available first-round draft picks (2029 and 2031). But if there is a deal to be made, presumably the Trail Blazers lowering their asking price in terms of draft compensation, Hachimura would be part of the Laker’s outgoing package.

Hachimura will enter the second season of a three-year, $51 million deal that will pay him $17 million this upcoming season.

Rui Hachimura’s Career Season

The 26-year-old Hachimura will play for Japan, the only Asian team, in the 2024 Paris Olympics after averaging a career-high 13.6 points on 53.7% field goal shooting and 42.2% from the 3-point line in his first full season with the Lakers.

Hachimura did not become a full-time starter for the Lakers until Jarred Vanderbilt went down with a foot injury in February. The 6-foot-8 Hachimura averaged 15.4 points on 57.5% field goal shooting and 44.4% from the 3-point line in 39 starts.

It was only the second time in Hachimura’s career that he shot above 40% from the 3-point distance. But it looks promising. He just needs to up his volume (attempted only 3.4 per game last season, which is a career-high) to become this combo wing that the Lakers covet in Grant.

Offensively, he has the upside to reach Grant’s status. It is on the other side of the ball where Hachimura needs more work.

The Lakers were 3.3 points better per 100 possessions when Hachimura was on the floor during the regular season, per Basketball Reference. However, that changed drastically in the playoffs in their 4-1 loss to the Denver Nuggets as the Lakers were 5.3 points better when he was off the court.

Hachimura, with his large frame and 7-foot-2 wingspan, has the built to become an elite defender.

Last season, Darvin Ham primarily used Hachimura to defend opposing wings — power forwards (31.5%) small forwards (26%) — and at times centers (19.9%), per Crafted NBA, when the Lakers went small. He finished the season in the 69th percentile when it came to versatility on defense.

If Hachimura remains a Laker, it remains to be seen how new head coach JJ Redick will utilize him.

Why Lakers Are Unwilling to Meet Blazers’ Asking Price

LA Daily’s Anthony Irwin reported the Lakers have been unwilling to meet that price.

“League sources cite his contract and potential reluctance to take on a lesser role on a winning team as concerns for why the Lakers and other teams haven’t wanted to meet that price,” Irwin wrote.

The 30-year-old Grant is entering the second season of a five-year deal worth $160 million with a $36.4 million player option for the 2027-28 season.

A 36.4% career 3-point shooter and a reliable 20-point scorer over the last seasons with the Trail Blazers, the 6-foot-7 Grant is the ideal complementary player for the Lakers, who can create offense and play defense.

Grant’s 7-foot-3 wingspan and his athleticism would be a boon to Redick’s effort to surround LeBron James and Anthony Davis with two-way players, who can also knock down outside shots.

But Grant left the Denver Nuggets after the 2019-20 season because he wanted to be more than just a complementary player. So he became a focal point in bad teams in Detroit and the post-Damian Lillard era in Portland.