The 9-4 Los Angeles Lakers are short-handed for Saturday’s clash with the 8-5 Milwaukee Bucks, as Rui Hachimura and Marcus Smart joined LeBron James and Gabe Vincent on the sidelines. Smart is down with an illness, while Hachimura is dealing with left calf soreness, and Mike Trudell shared head coach JJ Redick’s pregame update on the Japanese forward’s status.
“JJ Redick said he doesn’t think Hachimura’s sore calf will be a lingering issue, but because it’s been sore, it made sense not to push him tonight on this second night of a B2B.”
Redick also revealed that Hachimura had been dealing with calf tightness all week, according to The Athletic’s Dan Woike. It would indeed make little sense to risk the 27-year-old on the second night of a back-to-back then.
Redick had not anticipated Hachimura and Smart missing this game, though. He stated following Friday’s 118-104 win over the New Orleans Pelicans that he expected everyone who played on the night to be available against the Bucks, and their absences are a blow.
Hachimura is averaging 15.8 points, 3.8 rebounds, 1.2 assists, 0.7 steals, and 0.2 blocks per game in 2025-26, while shooting 57.7% from the field and 50.0% from beyond the arc. He had shot over 41.0% from three in each of the last two seasons and continues to be the most reliable outside shooter for the Lakers.
Luka Doncic had spoken glowingly of Hachimura after a win over the Charlotte Hornets on Monday. Doncic believes he is very underrated, as no one talks about his contributions to their success.
Redick had also praised Hachimura’s defense in the third quarter of that Hornets game, and you could argue he is their most important role player at present. Acquiring him from the Washington Wizards in January 2023 for Kendrick Nunn and three second-round picks has proven to be a masterstroke from general manager Rob Pelinka.
Bringing in Smart this summer is also proving to be a fine decision, as he has impressed on the defensive end. There were concerns about his durability, having played a combined 54 games over the last two seasons, but he has managed to stay relatively healthy so far.
You’d expect Smart to be back for Tuesday’s game against the Utah Jazz, but the Lakers might decide to give Hachimura another night off. They have four days off after that game, and an extended break could do him good.
As for this game against the Bucks, their absences have led the Lakers to insert Bronny James and Jake LaRavia into the lineup. You did worry about the visitors’ chances of victory with all these players being out, but they took a commanding 65-34 lead into halftime.
