JJ Redick, Lakers, Lakers injury, Rui Hachimura
Getty
Los Angeles Lakers head coach JJ Redick reacts after his team is called for a foul against the Detroit Pistons at Crypto.com Arena on December 30, 2025 in Los Angeles, California.
The Los Angeles Lakers have apparently suffered a setback in the injury recovery of key starter Rui Hachimura.
Last week, head coach JJ Redick noted that Hachimura was on track to return from his calf soreness during the two-game road trip against the New Orleans Pelicans and San Antonio Spurs on Tuesday and Wednesday. However, before Sunday’s victory over the Memphis Grizzlies, Redick revealed that Hachimura won’t be traveling with the team.
Dave McMenamin
JJ Redick says Rui Hachimura (calf) will not go on the upcoming Pelicans-Spurs road trip and could get in some practice with South Bay while the Lakers are out of town.
Hachimura, sidelined since the Dec. 28 win over the Sacramento Kings, was the Lakers’ most efficient and consistent three-point shooter before his injury. The seventh-year forward was shooting a career-high 44.5% from three, a huge boost for a Lakers team that ranks 26th in the league in 3P% and 25th in made threes.
Rui Hachimura Not a Starter?
In Hachimura’s absence, Jake LaRavia has thrived in a starting role, averaging 18.7 points, 6.0 rebounds, 2.3 assists and 2.3 steals in his last three games. That includes a 26-point performance in Sunday’s 120-114 when he shot 9-of-16 from the field.
Some believe that Hachimura’s injury may be a blessing in disguise, as it has allowed Redick to try out LaRavia in a starting role.
“Rui is the fifth option in that lineup, and he is just not good at being a fifth option–he needs the ball more,” a Western Conference coach told Heavy Sports’ Sean Deveney.
“I think Jake LaRavia is a lot more comfortable in that role, just playing with energy, playing that level of defense and not needing plays to be called for him to score.
“Rui needs to be more involved and he could get that on the second unit. It is really the defining problem of that team–you have five guys in the starting lineup who all need the ball. Can’t have that. You need at least two guys who can do the dirty work while the other three do their thing. You can’t have five guys who want to score on the floor together.”
Lakers Injury Troubles
LaRavia, who leads the Lakers in deflections and several other hustle stats, has also been a surprisingly adequate defender for Redick.
After his 26-point performance on Sunday, LaRavia thanked the Lakers coaching staff for keeping the faith in him.
“I’m just trusting the work that I’ve been putting in recently,” LaRavia said, via TalkBasket. “Coaches telling me, players telling me, just keep shooting the ball. They trust me. I trust myself.”
“I feel like I’m very much a player where when you tell me the things that you want me to do, I’m just going out there and doing them,” he added. “Shots aren’t going to fall every game, but I can control the effort that I bring to the game, crashing every time.”
Despite the back-to-back wins over Memphis, the injury-ravaged Lakers have a tough schedule the rest of the way in January, as 10 of their remaining 14 games will be on the road, starting with the back-to-backs in New Orleans and San Antonio on Tuesday and Wednesday. The Lakers will end the month on an eight-game trip (including Grammy Road Trip), which includes stops in Denver, Dallas and Cleveland.