The first domino of the NBA trading season appears to have fallen. The Los Angeles Lakers and Washington Wizards are working on a deal according to Shams Charania of The Athletic and Stadium. It felt like a matter of time until Rob Pelinka made a move and he’s almost done with his first.
The Lakers are poised to acquire forward Rui Hachimura from the Wizards in exchange for Kendrick Nunn and three second-round picks. The Lakers will send their 2023 and 2029 second-round picks to the Wizards, along with a 2023 sophomore round via the Chicago Bulls according to ESPN.
On the heels of an incredible come-from-behind win over the Portland Trail Blazers on Sunday night, there’s more positive news of this trade. Hachimura will be a nice upgrade for the Lakers in the frontcourt and give the team some more scoring power in the forward line.
Over the season, Hachimura averages 13 points on 48.8 percent shooting from the field. He only makes 33.7 percent of his three-point attempts this season, but he shoots 35.6 percent from distance in his career. If he can get close to the 44.7 percent he shot last season, he’ll be a great fit in Los Angeles.
LATEST NBA NEWS & TRADE RUMORS: Rui Hachimura, Washington Wizards & Los Angeles Lakers Updates
To round out his stats, Hachimura grabs 4.3 rebounds and provides 1.2 assists per game. The Gonzaga product turns 25 in February and will become an unrestricted free agent next season. The Gonzaga product has a high chance of bolstering his supply of plays for the Lakers.
He should immediately step into the rotation to make up for the loss of Anthony Davis, who is about to return from his foot injury. A blockade formed in the backcourt, so this is a good deal for the Lakers moving Nunn.
Nunn joined Russell Westbrook and Dennis Schroder at point guard and Patrick Beverley and Max Christie at shooting guard for minutes. He could find more minutes in the Wizards’ backcourt, where Monte Morris and Delon Wright gobble up the majority of point guard minutes.
LATEST NBA NEWS & TRADE RUMORS: Rui Hachimura, Washington Wizards & Los Angeles Lakers Updates
This trade is also indicative of where the Wizards stand when it comes to their own blockade in the frontcourt. Rumors circulated last week that they were exploring trade destinations for Hachimura, and they’ve now found them. Kyle Kuzma is probably their priority to get back to the 4 spot going forward this off-season.
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