Trade Grades: Rui Hachimura Traded to the Lakers

We’ll the Lakers made a move.

Wizards get:
Kendrick Nunn
2023 Chicago second-round pick
2028 second-round pick (lesser of owned)
2029 Lakers second-round pick

Lakers get:
Rui Hachimura

Lakers D–

I don’t really get this trade. Yes, Hachimura is a relatively young soon-to-be 25-year-old. He is also a 6-8 wing which sounds solid on paper. The problem is he will need to be extended in the off season. He’s likely going to get overpaid anyway given the age vs his ability. If he does play better than expected for the Lakers they are just going to have to pay more for that as well. It takes them out of any other top free agents this off season. They had to pay the cost of three 2nd round picks likey for the privilege to over pay him eat up their cap space.

I don’t think he’s very good. He’s also at an age this is most likely who you would expect him to be with very marginal improvements if any. He shot better last year from three-point land, but that seems like an outlier in a limited sample on lower volume. He’s now back below his career 35% average. That’s essentially the only skill of value he sort of brings to the table as well, and it’s not even proven. He doesn’t defend well or force any turnovers at all. There will certainly be better players available they could have landed who are more proven at the price they gave up.

Wizards A

The Wizards continue to fleece the Laker’s front office. They were able to cash in on a disappointing former top 10 pick and avoid having to resign him or letting him walk for nothing. Just getting the 2023 Chicago pick which will likely be top 40 would have been a steal. This isn’t as bad as the deal for Westbrook they traded to the Lakers, but on the heels, it’s another great salvage job by the Wizards. Even Nunn might bring back a weaker 2nd rounder. He had been playing well in January which makes the trade worse as well.