The Los Angeles Lakers are looking at a tight race in the Western Conference. Heading into the final stretch of the regular season, they are currently sitting at 32-20 as the fifth seed. With the seedings being extremely close 2nd to 10th, the Lakers will need their players to step up more than ever. For this Lakers team to continue their success, a high level of basketball is needed. One player in mind who will need to be the difference-maker moving forward is Rui Hachimura. His role on this team is going to matter drastically as the Lakers finish their last couple of months heading into the playoffs.
Important Stretch of Season for Lakers’ Rui Hachimura
During the 2023 trade deadline, the Lakers made significant moves that would get them back into contention. One of these important moves was acquiring forward Hachimura from the Washington Wizards in exchange for guard Kendrick Nunn and three second-round picks. This trade would help them get to the Western Conference Finals, where they ultimately lost to the eventual champion Denver Nuggets that year. Following this, Hachimura signed a three-year, $51 million contract extension with LA. Since then, he has been a pivotal piece of this team and has continuously improved over his tenure with the Los Angeles Lakers.
Level of Play This Year
Since Hachimura joined the purple and gold, his role has elevated tremendously. He is currently having one of his better seasons, averaging 13.4 points, 5.2 rebounds, and 1.4 assists per game while shooting 51% from the field. The Lakers understand and know that he is not a primary option but is a key supporting role player. His quality of play and confidence are sustainable, he has continued to showcase levels of improvement in his game.
LeBron James and Luka Dončić help open up the floor and spacing for Hachimura to knock down threes. He is currently shooting a near career-high shooting percentage from three at 43.4%. With his size, strength, and athletic versatility as a forward, he brings solid defense and scoring efficiency inside the arc. His versatility on both the offensive and defensive end will be crucial for this Lakers team moving into the final stretch of the regular season. The team and Lakers faithful are hoping his level of play can carry over into the playoffs.
Rui Hachimura over his last six games:
19.8 PTS, 5.3 REB, 1.2 AST, 59% FG, 52.7% 3PT
He’s 9-4 without AD, 9-6 without LeBron and the Lakers are 88-57 with Rui on the floor since signing him. pic.twitter.com/edqekuRVgD
— Basketball Forever (@bballforever_) February 13, 2025
Ready to Step Up
The 27-year-old has played 45 games this season, being reliable throughout the entire season. Since being in LA, Hachimura has been mentioned in trade scenarios and rumors. However, this hasn’t changed his consistent play and well-rounded impact. Now it seems like Rob Pelinka is confident in Hachimura and doesn’t plan on moving the exceptional role player. With 30 regular season games left, the Lakers will need him to stay confident and be ready to step up most during this stretch.
Just before the All-Star break, Hachimura spoke on his level of confidence and having to step up when it matters. According to The Mainichi Japan’s National Daily,
“I’m the fourth or fifth option, so I accept that role, when we’re missing a star, then it’s my turn… It’s great if we have a player who can step up at times like that, and I can become that kind of player.”
With the Western Conference standings so close, we are to see how the rest of the season plays out. In the likely scenario that the Lakers make the playoffs, Hachimura needs to be poised and ready to play a big role for this team, knocking down threes and mid-range shots, finishing inside the paint, and playing solid defense. He showcased this all-around skill set in the run they had in the 2023 playoffs. As time has passed since then, Hachimura’s game continues to get better, and he hopes to stay that way moving forward.
Photo credit: © Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images
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