Can Rui Hachimura round out his game for the Lakers this season?
Los Angeles will need more than just offense from Rui Hachimura if they hope to keep pace in a daunting Western Conference.
Welcome to our Lakers Season Preview Series! For the next several weeks, we’ll be writing columns every weekday, breaking down the biggest questions we have about every player the Lakers added this offseason. Today, we take a look at Rui Hachimura.
X-factor, secret sauce, whatever label you want to assign to Rui Hachimura, the thing he needs to be more than anything else this upcoming season is malleable.
When the Lakers initially traded for Hachimura, they did so with the hope there was plenty of upside still left in the former lottery pick. After wilting away in Washington, Hachimura has since benefited from a change of scenery in Los Angeles, showing the promise that made him such an intriguing prospect.
Between the strides he’s made in key areas and the glimmers of postseason mettle, Hachimura has rewarded the Lakers’ optimism. But his flaws remain.
Following another disappointing series against the Denver Nuggets that magnified his sporadic tendency to dissolve into the background when his shot isn’t falling, the Lakers will need Hachimura to flesh out the rest of his game if they plan to make moves in the Western Conference.
What is his best-case scenario?
From a sheer numbers perspective, the best-case scenario for Hachimura arguably already happened last year. That is, at least on one side of the ball.
As a Wizard, Hachimura’s offensive repertoire involved sidling in and out of the triple-threat position and firing away a surplus of midrange jumpers that even DeMar DeRozan would admit was excessive. His shot diet and selection naturally made his fit alongside LeBron James and Anthony Davis questionable.
To his credit, however, Hachimura has since hushed the skepticism. Gone are the empty calories and bad habits and in their place are more attempts at the rim and from three.
Beyond modernizing his approach, Hachimura also took significant steps forward in terms of his efficiency. In his first full season in purple and gold, Hachimura reaped the benefits of stepping a few feet back as he canned his 3-point attempts at a blistering 42% clip.
This, coupled with his dynamic finishing around the cup, resulted in him posting a career-best 60.8% eFG% That mark ranked third-best among all forwards who logged at least 1500 minutes.
When he was on, Hachimura made the Lakers’ lineup downright exhausting for opposing defenses. The nagging issue is what happens when he isn’t on.
Although his hulking frame and explosiveness make it hard to believe, Hachimura has a concerning knack for vanishing when he’s not involved in the offense. And as a result, his impact often feels directly tied to his boxscore output.
His defensive awareness and effort are nowhere near consistent enough. Nor is his rebounding, an area where the Lakers sorely needed help last season and likely will continue to do so.
In an ideal world, Hachimura’s growth in the other parts of his game wouldn’t be as urgent. However, with the news that Jarred Vanderbilt and Christian Wood could or will miss time to start the year, the Lakers are going to need their forward to pick up the slack in the margins.
That begins by carrying over his strong offensive output but also finding non-scoring ways to impact the game as well.
What is his worst-case scenario?
If the best-case scenario for Hachimura is dependent on linear development, his worst-case scenario may be due to a curve in his trajectory.
One of the most interesting stories to monitor next season is how players like Hachimura perform, are utilized and assimilate under new head coach JJ Redick. During his introductory press conference, Redick offered insight into what he expects from Hachimura, in particular ahead of the new campaign.
“As we build out our offensive system and how we’re going to play, when we incorporate moving and cutting, Rui can be an excellent cutter and part of that is because we’re going to manipulate screening angles, he’s going to get mismatches and he can really score the basket if he has smaller players on him.”
The concept of Hachimura evolving into a consistent and dangerous cutter sounds intriguing on paper but has yet to be realized.
According to the league’s tracking data, only 11% of Hachimura’s shot attempts last season came via a cut. In addition, he also finished just sixth on the team in terms of total miles traveled on offense.
There is a level of selflessness and precision that comes with being a successful off-ball player that many players fail to achieve. Cutting, for example, is not solely a means for the individual to score. Instead, it is a helpful building block of an offense from a team-wide perspective.
Whether it’s creating space for a teammate or helping trigger the next sequence of an action, moving with verve and reason requires buy-in that is not always guaranteed. It remains to be seen if Hachimura can or is willing to do these things regularly and how it impacts his offensive game in the process.
Beyond the potential pitfalls of tinkering with Hachimura’s utilization once again, the other way this season can go south is if he doesn’t make the aforementioned improvements on defense.
As the important bridging player between the back and front court, Hachimura will be tasked with being able to mold himself to fit any hole the Lakers may need. If the guards need extra support on the defensive end, he has to swoop in and embrace a difficult matchup. If James or Davis need help on the boards, he has to take the initiative to secure rebounds.
These are things that must become second nature for Hachimura and not feel like pulling teeth.
What is his most likely role on the team?
Given Jarred Vanderbilt could be unavailable to start the season, Hachimura may well find himself back in the starting lineup.
Last season, D’Angelo Russell, Austin Reaves, Hachimura, James and Davis salvaged a disastrous game of musical chairs regarding the Lakers’ starting five. After shuffling through several iterations, this group eventually stuck as they helped spearhead an impressive second-half run.
The lineup had a moderately solid +6.6 netRTG last season, which, while the best among their most-used groups, was not as dominant as the league’s best. But where they shined was on offense. With five versatile scoring threats on the floor, the lineup’s 61% eFG% ranked 2nd-best among all lineups that tallied at least 500 possessions.
From an individual standpoint, Hachimura's role with the starters presumably will remain the same. On offense, he will be expected to make open shots, punish mismatches and bring thrust to the group. On defense, he will be challenged to stay engaged in the half court while using his athletic tools to help end possessions on the glass.
Hachimura has always been at his best when he brings different dimensions to his game. It’s the jumper falling. It’s the body block. It’s the thunderous throwdown on the break. It’s all of it. The Lakers need all of it.
If the opposition takes away a layer, Hachimura must simply peel it off to reveal another.
All stats courtesy of Cleaning the Glass unless otherwise stated. You can follow Alex on Twitter at @AlexmRegla.