The Los Angeles Lakers have been fairly inconsistent this season.
The fans have been craving reinforcements since the start of the campaign, as their current roster seemed filled with flaws and like a bad fit altogether.
Darvin Ham has failed to establish his defensive-minded system, but the Lakers are still flirting with .500 basketball and have a shot at making the playoffs.
That’s why the timing couldn’t have been better to acquire Rui Hachimura from the Washington Wizards, especially considering all they had to give up was Kendrick Nunn and a couple of second-round picks.
Lakers fans seemed quite excited upon the Japanese forward’s arrival, reacting to the team’s hype video as soon as he was traded to Southern California.
Rui Hachimura, ladies & gentlemen. pic.twitter.com/s6GRIjjYwT
— Los Angeles Lakers (@Lakers) January 24, 2023
Nunn had been one of the worst signings of the past couple of seasons, making just 39 appearances (2 starts) after missing last year with a knee injury and averaging 6.7 points, 1.4 rebounds, and 0.9 assists per game on 40% from the floor.
Now, they’ll get a versatile combo/forward who could give them some more size, and he could even serve as a small-ball center on some sets.
Moreover, Hachimura will be reunited with some familiar faces, as he already shared the court with Thomas Bryant, Russell Westbrook, and Troy Brown Jr. during their days in the nation’s capital.
Of course, the Lakers still need to make more moves if they want to make the playoffs this season, but adding Hachimura sure is a step in the right direction and a small beacon of hope in the midst of an inconsistent season.
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