Why Rui Hachimura Will Remain Lakers 6th Man Despite Impressive Postseason
As your Los Angeles Lakers start the new NBA season next week, they believe that they have the right roster in place to do some real damage. It’s championship or bust for LA once again, and they have a strong roster full of depth.
As Jovan Buha of The Athletic relays, recently re-signed LA power forward Rui Hachimura will act as the sixth man for this team, showing just the kind of strong depth that LA has. New addition Taurean Prince will instead round out the team’s starting frontcourt next to LeBron James and Anthony Davis.
Hachimura thrived with the Lakers a year ago, especially in the postseason, which led to the team retaining him this summer.
The Lakers want Hachimura to help lead the second team, and give them a spark off the bench. He should be able to match up very well against the opposing team's benches, and it will give the Lakers an advantage.
Of course, there could be moments throughout the season where Hachimura may start games based on the matchup, but for now, he is on the bench to start games. In addition, the Lakers may want him to close games at different points in the season as well.
His length to body up against other teams and his mid-range shooting ability are some of his strengths. But he also wants to work on his three-point shooting this season. Hachimura wants to become more of a marksman from deep, and if he can do that, it would greatly benefit the Lakers.
This will be a big season for Hachimura and his growth as a player. We saw flashes of what he could do last season, and he spent the entire offseason working to get himself better. If he can take that next step, the Lakers become a much more lethal squad across the association.
Are you following us on Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, or LA Sports Report yet? Join the conversation as we discuss the latest Lakers news and rumors with fans like you!
