Tag: Rui Hachimura

JJ Redick’s Lakers’ starting lineup shows how far the team has already come since Darvin Ham

These are exactly the five players that the Lakers should have in the starting lineup.

Los Angeles Lakers head coach JJ Redick revealed the starting lineup for his team heading into his first season with the franchise.

During a podcast appearance with his former ESPN colleague Zach Lowe, the longtime NBA sharpshooter said that he already knows the first unit for the Lakers. It includes Austin Reaves, D’Angelo Russell, Rui Hachimura, LeBron James, and Anthony Davis.

James and Davis once again proved themselves as two of the best players in the world during the 2024 Paris Olympics, helping lead Team USA to win a gold medal against France. The rest of the starting lineup for Redick is well-suited to complement those two stars.

As noted by Redick, the five players mentioned above went “23-10” during their games together last season.

When he was head coach of the Lakers, per Basketball-Reference.com, Ham did not play this five-man group until January 21. That realization somehow took until more than halfway through the season.

But starting from when this group began playing together, it became one of the best high-volume five-man lineups in the league.

Los Angeles has outscored opponents by 9.46 points per 100 possessions in the 547 minutes that this unit has played alongside one another, via PBPStats. It is a data-backed group that performs well on both sides of the ball.

Redick is making the right choice to put these players together and we can only imagine how much better these past two seasons could have looked if fans saw more of it from Ham.

[lawrence-auto-related count=5 category=1373]

Bleacher Report proposes Lakers trade four players for Zach LaVine

A Bleacher Report writer suggested the Lakers make this questionable trade to land two-time All-Star Zach LaVine.

Are the Los Angeles Lakers going to make any moves this offseason? We’re roughly midway through the summer, and yet they haven’t brought in a single player from another team.

Their only newcomers who are on standard contracts are draft picks Dalton Knecht and Bronny James. While Knecht, the No. 17 pick in June’s draft, was expected by many to be a top-10 pick and is considered arguably the most NBA-ready incoming rookie, he cannot necessarily be expected to make a sizable impact this coming season.

Just about everyone agrees the Lakers need a two-way wing and a defensive center. Some would also say they need a legitimate third scorer, if not a legitimate third star.

To that end, Grant Hughes of Bleacher Report suggested the Lakers ship out four players in return for the Chicago Bulls’ Zach LaVine, a player they’ve been repeatedly been linked to.

Via Bleacher Report:

“The Trade: Los Angeles Lakers acquire Zach LaVine from the Chicago Bulls for Rui Hachimura, Austin Reaves, Jarred Vanderbilt and Jaxson Hayes,” wrote Hughes.

“LeBron James and Anthony Davis are still as good as it gets among NBA duos, and the Lakers can’t go into the 2024-25 season without taking a big swing at supporting them with more high-end talent.

“You’ll notice we didn’t say ‘high-end availability and a demonstrated capacity to drive winning.’ That’s because Zach LaVine, who’s been viewed as something pretty close to trade poison over the last year or so, doesn’t have those things. What he does have is elite scoring skill, as demonstrated by his pair of All-Star nods and 2022-23 average of 24.8 points on a 48.5/37.5/84.8 shooting split.”

LaVine is a somewhat polarizing player. While he is a proven scorer and a pretty efficient one, as Hughes pointed out, it is unclear whether the numbers he puts up can make an impact on a winning team. He has played on a team that finished with a winning record just once — that was in the 2021-22 season when the Bulls won 26 of their first 36 games but lost 15 of their final 22.

Then there is his injury history. He has appeared in over 67 games just once in the last eight seasons, and he played in just 25 games this past season.

If that wasn’t enough, the trade Hughes suggested would leave Los Angeles bereft of frontcourt depth while jettisoning arguably their only effective wing or perimeter defender in Vanderbilt.

Rui Hachimura has left the Olympics due to a calf injury

Rui Hachimura missed his native Japan’s final game of the Olympics after getting hurt.

Los Angeles Lakers forward Rui Hachimura got off to a very strong start in the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris. He put up some big numbers in the exhibition games his native Japan played, and in its first game of group play on Saturday, he logged 20 points and 10 rebounds against Germany.

In Japan’s next game, which was versus France, Hachimura again shined brightly, but he was assessed a very questionable ejection after fouling Rudy Gobert. He left the contest with 24 points.

On Friday, Japan got blown out by Brazil, thus ending its bid for a medal. Hachimura didn’t even play in that game, as he was forced to leave the team beforehand due to a calf injury.

Via Basketnews:

“Due to the need for early treatment of my injury, I regret to inform you that I will no longer be able to accompany the team in accordance with NBA/FIBA rules,” Hachimura said in a statement. “I would like to sincerely thank the fans who supported us on site, basketball fans around the world, and fans in Japan.

“Together with my teammates, I believe we played some very good games for Japanese basketball. I am proud to have played as a member of Japan,” Hachimura added.

The good news here is that there are about two months to go before the start of training camp for the Lakers. That means that, depending on the severity of his injury, Hachimura could be ready for the start of camp, or at least the start of the regular season in mid-October.

NBA insider gives a potential Lakers trade package for Jerami Grant

Would you give up this suggested offer for two-way Trail Blazers forward Jerami Grant?

We’re now a full month into the NBA’s official free agency and player movement period, and still, the Los Angeles Lakers haven’t brought in any outside players.

At best, their roster is only about as good as it was this past season when they won 47 regular-season games and lost in the first round of the playoffs to the Denver Nuggets. While many have opined that Los Angeles is no better than a play-in tournament team, a more rational analysis reveals that it is likely a legitimate playoff team.

Of course, L.A. doesn’t seem to be a championship-caliber team by any means. Therefore, it has reportedly expressed interest in Portland Trail Blazers two-way forward Jerami Grant.

While a report indicated he could cost two future first-round draft picks, NBA reporter Jake Weinbach said on X (formerly Twitter) that an offer could consist of Rui Hachimura, Gabe Vincent and Cam Reddish, as well as the Lakers’ 2029 first-round draft pick (h/t The Cold Wire).

That looks like a reasonable offer for Grant, a 6-foot-7, 30-year-old forward who averaged 21.0 points a game and shot 40.2% from 3-point range this past season. He’s also regarded as a very good and versatile defender, and the Lakers certainly need such a wing player who has length and athleticism.

Hachimura is a good player, but his production is inconsistent and his defense is limited. Vincent is a strong defender but limited offensively, and Reddish is very, very limited overall.

The question is whether Grant would move the needle enough. But if he would, such a trade would allow the Lakers to still deal D’Angelo Russell and their 2031 first-rounder for another impact player.

Watch: Rui Hachimura plays well but gets ejected in Japan’s loss to France

Lakers forward Rui Hachimura was red-hot and helped Japan compete hard with France, only to get ejected on a very questionable call.

LeBron James and Anthony Davis aren’t the only members of the Los Angeles Lakers who are playing well right now as the 2024 Summer Olympics get into full swing in Paris.

Forward Rui Hachimura has had some big games for his native Japan. He did well in the team’s exhibition games just days ago, and he had 20 points and 10 rebounds in his nation’s first game of group play on Saturday.

After losing that game to Germany, Japan took the court against France, one of the better teams in the Olympics and a squad that boasts NBA stars Victor Wembanyama and Rudy Gobert. Hachimura was red-hot, scoring 24 points and going 10-of-16 from the field in just 22 minutes in a close game.

However, late in the game, the forward grabbed Gobert’s arm as Gorbert attempted a layup and was assessed a foul. It was his second unsportsmanlike foul of the game, and thus he was ejected, to the consternation of many.

While it looked like a normal foul, not to mention a good foul, as Gobert is a mediocre free throw shooter, the officials working the game obviously felt otherwise.

France ended up forcing overtime on a miracle 3-pointer and four-point play by guard Matthew Strazel, and it ultimately prevailed 94-90. Wembanyama shined brightly with 18 points, 11 rebounds, six assists, two steals and two blocked shots.

Japan’s Rui Hachimura was ejected for fouling France’s Rudy Gobert in the Olympics and fans hated it

Some fans think France got a favorable whistle at home against Japan.

During group play in the 2024 Paris Olympics, one of the best games featured Japan and France.

France entered as heavy favorites but the game went into overtime largely due to a stellar performance from Japan’s Rui Hachimura, who is a forward for the Los Angeles Lakers. He looked like a star for his country during the game against the host nation of France.

After hitting multiple 3-pointers to bring his scoring total to 24 points with around nine minutes remaining in the fourth quarter, Hachimura was called for his second unsportsmanlike foul of the game after making contact with France’s Rudy Gobert.

It was a bad mistake for Hachimura after already having an unsportsmanlike foul on Bilal Coulibaly from earlier in the half because this was an automatic ejection under FIBA international basketball rules.

After review, the call stood and he was ultimately disqualified. France went on to take the game into overtime and then secured a victory.

Fans couldn’t believe the decision

Rui Hachimura highlights from Japan’s Olympic exhibition games

LeBron James and Anthony Davis aren’t the only Lakers players who have done well in pre-Olympic exhibition games.

Team USA basketball has been gearing up for a run at an Olympic gold medal, and at times, it has looked excellent during its exhibition games in recent days. LeBron James and Anthony Davis, in particular, have turned things up a notch when needed and have played very well.

But James and Davis aren’t the only Los Angeles Lakers players who are preparing for the summer games in Paris, which will begin just days from now.

Forward Rui Hachimura recently decided to suit up for his native Japan in this year’s Olympics. He made his first appearance in an exhibition game on Friday versus Germany, and he scored 19 points while flashing his all-around offensive skills.

On Sunday, he raised his game to a higher level with 29 points and some hot 3-point shooting versus Serbia.

Hachimura played very well for the Lakers once he moved into the starting lineup for good in the middle of this past season. Head coach JJ Redick appears to have some ambitious plans for him, as Redick wants him to shoot more 3-pointers, move without the basketball more and crash the offensive boards more often.

JJ Redick’s offensive plans for Rui Hachimura

JJ Redick wants Rui Hachimura to do more of three specific things this coming season.

One player who sometimes gets lost in the shuffle for the Los Angeles Lakers is forward Rui Hachimura. Although he is a gifted scorer and, at times, a capable defender, fans sometimes either forget about him or underrate him.

There are times when Hachimura looks virtually invisible on offense, as sometimes his teammates won’t involve him in the offense. But when he is involved, he is an effective one-on-one scorer, not to mention a strong finisher who has the ability to move without the ball and get out in transition.

New Lakers head coach JJ Redick outlined his plans for Hachimura during his introductory press conference. He said he wants the Japanese native to shoot more 3-pointers while moving more without the basketball and crashing the offensive boards.

Via Lakers Nation:

“I thought he had a fantastic year last year,” Redick said. “… I had great conversations this weekend, two that I loved were my conversations with Austin [Reaves] and my conversation with Rui. I think for him in terms of how I envision him on this team, I want him shooting more 3s. So, that’s a big part of it. I brought up the offensive rebounding, I think he can really become an elite offensive rebounder.

“As we build out our offensive system and how we’re going to play, when we incorporate moving and cutting, Rui can be an excellent cutter and part of that is because we’re going to manipulate screening angles, he’s going to get mismatches and he can really score the basket if he has smaller players on him.”

Hachimura set career-highs this past season in shooting percentage and points per 36 minutes. He permanently moved into the starting lineup in early February, and as a starter, he put up 15.4 points a game while shooting 57.5% from the field and 43.9% from 3-point range. Overall, he attempted 3.4 3-pointers in 26.9 minutes a game during the 2023-24 campaign.

Hachimura has never been a productive rebounder, but with his 6-foot-8, 230-pound frame, one could imagine him plugging up the middle on the offensive boards if he is in position to do so.

Whether he continues to start or settles into some sort of sixth-man role, he could play a big part in whatever type of success Los Angeles has this coming season.

Rui Hachimura will play for Japan in upcoming Summer Olympics

Lakers forward Rui Hachimura will be representing his native Japan in the upcoming Summer Olympics in Paris.

The 2024 Summer Olympics are set to begin in Paris in less than three weeks, with the opening ceremony scheduled to take place on Friday, July 26. Team USA will be making a big stand there in an attempt to win back the gold medal after failing to win even a bronze medal in last year’s FIBA World Cup.

The United States didn’t exactly have its best players on hand for the FIBA World Cup last summer. Almost right away, a number of NBA stars and superstars, including LeBron James and Anthony Davis, signaled their commitment to head to France and help the country regain its supremacy in basketball.

James and Davis won’t be the only Lakers heading overseas for the Olympics. Forward Rui Hachimura will be suiting up there for his native Japan.

Japan isn’t exactly a basketball powerhouse, but perhaps Hachimura’s play in the Olympics will remind Lakers fans how potent a player he is.

He did improve his offensive production this past season by averaging 13.6 points in 26.9 minutes a game while shooting 53.7% from the field and 42.2% from 3-point range.

Bobby Marks suggests a Darius Garland trade package for the Lakers

Would Bobby Marks’ suggested trade be a good one for the Lakers?

The Los Angeles Lakers’ biggest personnel need is an upgrade over either D’Angelo Russell or Austin Reaves in their backcourt. They need a legitimate scoring threat and facilitator, as well as someone who will consistently create pace.

In addition to the impact that type of player would have on his own, he would take pressure off an aging LeBron James while reducing James’ workload.

To that end, Trae Young, Dejounte Murray and Donovan Mitchell have been mentioned as potential targets for Los Angeles. But according to at least one report, if Mitchell doesn’t force his way off of the Cleveland Cavaliers, his backcourt mate Darius Garland could instead ask for a trade.

Bobby Marks, an analyst for ESPN, suggested the Lakers could trade Reaves and forward Rui Hachimura for Garland (h/t The Cold Wire).

Garland will make $36.7 million next season, which could make him a bit too expensive for L.A. given his level of production. While he averaged a solid 18 points a game in the regular season, that was down from 21.6 a game last season. In addition, his efficiency fell from 46.2% overall and 41% from 3-point range last season to 44.6% and 37.1%, respectively, this year.

In this season’s playoffs, Garland’s numbers dipped further. He put up 15.7 points on 42.7% overall and 35.2% from downtown.

However, he is a crafty guard with good handles and smooth offensive skills overall, and he’s just 24 years of age, which means he’ll be around for a long time after James leaves.

It should be noted Garland is represented by Klutch Sports, the same agency that represents James and Anthony Davis.