Trading Rui Hachimura may be harder than expected because the Lakers might value him much more highly internally than other teams do, and it's unclear whether they're even willing to make him available.
The Los Angeles Lakers are widely expected to be buyers ahead of the February 5 trade deadline, with several names already linked to potential moves.
Rui Hachimura
Rui Hachimura
Rui Hachimura
MIN: 32.48
PTS: 12.74 (54.95%)
REB: 3.78
As: 0.85
ST: 0.59
BL: 0.22
TO: 0.85
GM: 27
However, any deal will require the Lakers to send value back, and their main trade assets remain expiring contracts and future draft picks.
Starting forward Rui Hachimura has also surfaced in trade rumors, particularly if Los Angeles were to pursue a larger move. Still, NBA reporter Jovan Buha suggests there's little indication the Lakers are eager to move the Japanese wing.
Instead, Buha highlighted a significant gap between how Hachimura might be viewed internally and how rival teams perceive him.
"I think there's a gap in how the fanbase and outside observers view Rui and how the people internally view Rui," Buha said on his podcast. "I think they [Lakers] are much higher on him as a starter, a core piece, and as a longer-term piece, they can resign and extend until June 30th.
"In general, I think the Lakers are higher on Rui and would have a higher barometer or threshold to trade him, rather than or in comparison to like other teams, right?
"For example, like Herb Jones, I think if the Lakers offered Rui and a first for Herb Jones, I feel like in their head that would be pretty close to even value, whereas I think New Orleans would poo-poo that offer and think that's like far beneath Herb Jones' value," Buha explained.
"So, that's kind of the type of dissonance I think that's here. ... I don't even know how seriously Rui is being considered traded."
Credit AP - Scanpix
This season, Hachimura is averaging 12.7 points and 3.8 rebounds while starting 27 games.
However, the Lakers have been among the league's worst defensive teams in December, and analysts have pointed to the Luka Doncic–LeBron James–Hachimura trio in the starting lineup as a poor defensive fit against elite opponents.
The Lakers are currently 20-10 on the season.
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