Key Lakers Rotation Piece Talks His Versatility Within Lineups
This LA starter is a threat at whatever position he's playing.
The Los Angeles Lakers are playing some of their best basketball of the 2023-24 season. The Purple and Gold may not look like serious contenders, record-wise, but there's no counting out the Lakers, especially in a playoff series led by LeBron James and Anthony Davis. Anything can happen with this team, which makes them so intriguing.
The Lakers not only have top-level talent but also role players who have shined their brightest these last couple of weeks. One player who has been playing fantastic is their second-year LA forward and former lottery pick, Rui Hachimura. Hachimura is playing great basketball at the right time. The reason for this is not only that he's playing a ton of minutes, but he is arguably the most versatile player on the roster outside of James and Davis.
In a recent interview with the media, including The Athletic's Jovan Buha, the 26-year-old spoke about his strength in playing multiple positions.
“I think, at this point, I’m used to inconsistent stuff,” Hachimura said. “From last year, when I was DNP, I played 10 minutes, 20 minutes, some games 30 minutes, some games I was starting … different stuff. I’m playing three, five, four. That’s how I do. That’s what I do; that’s my strength. I’m able to play different positions, different roles.”
Hachimura has started in 30 games this season. He's been fantastic in those games, averaging 15.1 points per game, 4.5 rebounds, and 1.1 assists. The former Gonzaga Bulldog has been even better lately. In the last 10 games, he's averaged 17.8 points on 60% shooting from the field and 47.5% from beyond the arc, 5.5 rebounds, and 1.3 assists in 31.5 minutes.
His play and numbers are a considerable jump from where he was at the start of the season. Hachimura only logged about 26 minutes per game in November, 23 minutes in December, and 21 minutes in January. For one reason or another, head coach Darvin Ham was not playing their versatile forward. Granted, Hachimura suffered from injuries at the start of the season, including a concussion, nose, wrist, and calf injuries. Those injuries caused Ham to go haywire on the rotations, which resulted in their horrid months in December and January.
Three months later, Hachimura is one of the main reasons the Lakers sit in a prime position to climb above the ninth seed and possibly avoid the play-in altogether if they receive help. It's safe to say Hachimura is here to stay.
