New Report Reveals 2 Teams Eyeing Lakers Forward Rui Hachimura

The Los Angeles Lakers will have some stiff competition to bring back Rui Hachimura this summer with suitors lining up for the sharpshooting forward.

Jan 13, 2025; Los Angeles, California, USA; Los Angeles Lakers forward Rui Hachimura (28) dribbles the ball during the second quarter against the San Antonio Spurs at Crypto.com Arena. Mandatory Credit: Kiyoshi Mio-Imagn Images | Kiyoshi Mio-Imagn Images

The Los Angeles Lakers will have their work cut out for them this summer, with quite a few players on the current roster set to hit NBA free agency next week.

Although a lot of the attention is being paid to superstar LeBron James and what he plans to do as a free agent, there’s been a lot of uncertainty about Rui Hachimura’s future with the Lakers.

After coming off an impressive season in 2025-26, Hachimura has proven his worth and will likely have no shortage of interest on the open market.

Nets & Spurs Have Interest in Signing Rui Hachimura

According to NBA insiders Marc Stein and Jake Fischer, Hachimura will receive interest from the reigning Western Conference champion San Antonio Spurs and the Brooklyn Nets in free agency.

Brooklyn keeps coming up as a likely suitor, too, for the Lakers' Rui Hachimura, league sources say. The Nets and Spurs are two teams we've heard have interest in adding Hachimura's services, while the Spurs are also faced with resolving Harrison Barnes' future as the veteran forward heads to unrestricted free agency.

Hachimura had to adjust to a new role with the Lakers last season, as he only started 41 of the 68 regular-season games he played. Even though a drastic change like this can impact a player’s performance, Hachimura didn’t miss a beat and took his game to a new level on the offensive end.

The Japanese import became one of the best stretch fours in the game, making Lakers and NBA history with his red-hot shooting from behind on the arc. He shot 44.3 percent from deep, which is the second-best percentage of his career (44.7% in 2021-22).

Hachimura’s hot shooting continued during the NBA playoffs, as he shot a franchise record 56.9 percent from beyond the arc and an NBA record 50.8 percent in his playoff career from three-point range.

Although Hachimura doesn’t excel on the defensive end of the floor, the 28-year-old can be a valuable asset for the Lakers or any other team looking for improved shooting from a player who can also create his own shot.

The Lakers might have a tough time re-signing him if the Spurs come calling with a chance to compete for a title immediately or the Nets give him an offer that Los Angeles isn’t willing to match.

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