In what was a relatively quiet trade season, the Los Angeles Lakers finally broke the seal with the first big move of the season. In a trade with the Washinton Wizards, they sent Kendrick Nunn and three second-round picks in exchange for young wing Rui Hachimura.
The former 9th overall pick did not live up to expectations in D.C., but the Lakers are hoping he’ll be a better fit next to LeBron James and Anthony Davis.
While Lakers fans are eager to see him in the Purple and Gold, they won’t have that opportunity against the Clippers tonight. But according to ESPN’s Dave McMenamin, Rui could make his debut as soon as Wednesday against San Antonio.
“Lakers rate gonna get him into Los Angeles today, get their hands on him, evaluate him physically, get him acquainted with their facility and coaching staff. He could play as soon as Wednesday against the San Antonio Spurs. They don’t wanna put too much on his plate but at some point he could be a guy playing started minutes for them.”
https://twitter.com/_Talkin_NBA/status/1617982896886763525
Rui isn’t going to earn any All-NBA selections this season, but he’s a young guy with a lot of upside as a versatile two-way wing. While he is likely to move into the starting lineup eventually, Darvin Ham may ease him into the rotation slowly at first.
Either way, this trade is a win for the Lakers, and they may have more moves on the way.
Will The Lakers Land Bojan Bogdanovic?
Another name the Lakers have considered is Bojan Bogdanovic of the Detroit Pistons. As a veteran sharpshooter having his best season to date, he’d be the perfect floor-spacer for the Lakers.
“Detroit’s Bojan Bogdanovic continues to be the name most often tied to the Lakers in league circles, but the Pistons are looking for an unprotected first-round pick, at a minimum, in a potential trade, according to league sources. The Lakers’ preference is to only give up a lottery-protected first for the 34-year-old Bogdanovic, though that could change when up against the trade-deadline clock.”
Only time will tell us how this trade season plays out for the Lakers, but they certainly kicked things off with a bang.
If Rob Pelinka really wants to put his team in a position to succeed, however, he shouldn’t stop now.
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