The Los Angeles Lakers acquired forward Rui Hachimura from the Washington Wizards in a trade for guard Kendrick Nunn and three second-round draft picks.
Washington Wizards forward Rui Hachimura, seen here during a recent game at Capital One Arena in Washington, D.C., dropped 30 points against the Orlando Magic. (Image: Getty)The Lakers and Wizards made the first noteworthy deal with the NBA deadline only two and a half weeks away. Both teams are in 12th place in their respective conferences and would miss the Play-In Tournament if the season ended today.
The Wizards have a 20-26 record, but are only 1.5 games behind the Chicago Bulls in 10th place. FiveThirtyEight projects the Wizards will finish with a 38-44 record and have a 25% chance of advancing to the playoffs.
The are 22-25, and are among the five teams jockeying for the final two spots in the Western Conference Play-In Tournament. Only three games separate fifth place and 13th place in the west. FiveThirtyEight predicts the Lakers will finish the season with a 39-43 record and have a 30% chance to secure a trip to the postseason.
The popular Lakers are +4000 odds to win the 2022-23 NBA championship, according to DraftKings. Bettors want nothing to do with the Wizards, which is why they re long shots to win the title at +70000 odds.
Hachimura Wanted Out of DCThe Wizards selected Hachimura, a star with the Gonzaga Bulldogs, with the ninth overall pick in the 2019 NBA Draft. He struggled with injuries during his first three seasons with the Wizards, but he averaged 13.0 points per game in 177 games with the team.
Hachimura had been unhappy with his diminished role on the Wizards while coming off the bench with the second unit. In 30 games as a substitute this season, Hachimura averages 13 points, 4.3 rebounds, and 1.2 assists per game. He s shooting only 33.7% from 3-point range, which is off from a career-best 44.7% from downtown last season.
The Wizards and the Phoenix Suns had discussions about a trade involving power forward Jae Crowder, but the deal fell apart.
The Lakers acquired Hachimura as a potential 3-and-D player who can provide strong defense on a front line with LeBron James and Anthony Davis. The Lakers are also desperate to improve their 3-point shooting. They see Hachimura as a catch-and-shoot, spot-up sniper or as a reliable corner trey man.
Nunn barely cracked head coach Darvin Ham s rotation with the Lakers, averaging only 13.5 minutes per game off the bench this season. He averages 6.7 points, 1.4 rebounds, and 0.9 assists per game. Nunn missed last season with the Lakers while recovering from a knee injury.
During his first two seasons as a pro, Nunn started 111 games with the Miami Heat, averaging 15 points per game.
