Lakers News: Rui Hachimura Is The Best NBA Player In This Defensive Category
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Los Angeles Lakers forward Rui Hachimura, for whom the team traded three second-round draft picks and the expiring contract of lackluster point guard Kendrick Nunn, had a solid first game for LA on Wednesday against the visiting San Antonio Spurs, a 113-104 Lakers victory.
For his debut game as a Laker, Hachimura suited up for 21:31. He scored 12 points while shooting 4-of-7 from the floor and 3-of-6 from the charity stripe.
Now, some interesting information about his defensive acumen has come to light, courtesy of The Lead. At 6'8" with a 7'2" wingspan, the athletic Gonzaga product has the tools to at least be a solid defender, but he has proven to be relatively unidimensional thus far in his brief NBA career: he's a scorer first, and is especially effective off of catch-and-shoot looks.
But apparently, that defensive upside has already been paying off: opposing players shoot just 36.9% from the floor when Hachimura is the closest defender.
Even if he winds up just being a shooter (for his career, he's nailing a decent 35.5% of his 2.5 triple tries a night), Hachimura still helps balance LA's roster, and was well worth the investment. But the 24-year-old has been in a very unstable situation with the Washington Wizards, and is now playing alongside his two best teammates ever in LeBron James and Anthony Davis. There's a chance he has room to grow on both ends of the court.
MORE LAKERS NEWS:
ESPN Insiders Very Low On Rui Hachimura Trade For LA
Skip Bayless Praises LeBron James For Being The Greatest At This Skill
Major LA Free Agent Target May Take Himself Off Market
LA Interested In Trading For Scoring Guard Who Is A Favorite Player Of LeBron James
Bronny James Open To Playing In International League Next Season
