Rui Hachimura
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Lakers' Rui Hachimura during warm-ups prior to a game against the Toronto Raptors in December 2025
The Los Angeles Lakers received a welcome boost on Sunday when Rui Hachimura was removed from the injury report ahead of Monday night’s matchup with the Sacramento Kings, a strong indication that his return from a right calf strain is imminent.
Hachimura has missed six consecutive games since suffering the injury late last month, but his absence now appears to be nearing an end.
The forward was a full participant in practice over the weekend and struck an optimistic tone afterwards, stopping just short of formally confirming his availability.
“I’m fine. I think it’s been two weeks almost, so my calf is healed,” Hachimura said. “We’ve been practicing, they were gone for a little bit so I was practicing here with the G League and trying to be healthy and get better and I feel good about it tomorrow.”
While final clearance remained dependent on discussions with the medical staff, the combination of full practice participation and his removal from the injury report suggests the Lakers are confident in his progress and expect him to suit up in Sacramento.
Lakers Set to Ease Hachimura Back Into Rotation
Head coach JJ Redick confirmed that Hachimura was able to complete all aspects of practice and even stayed afterward to get additional shots up, another encouraging sign as he works toward full game readiness.
“He was able to do everything in practice,” Redick said.
Despite that progress, the Lakers plan to take a conservative approach with Hachimura’s return. Redick noted that the forward will be on a minutes restriction and is expected to come off the bench initially, mirroring how the team handled Austin Reaves earlier this season following his own injury absence.
“He’s going to be on a minutes restriction when he comes back,” Redick added. “He’ll likely come off the bench, similar to what we did with [Austin Reaves], when he was on his minutes restriction.”
That caution reflects both the nature of calf injuries and Hachimura’s own history. The forward acknowledged that he has dealt with calf issues in the past and understands the importance of managing the recovery carefully.
“I had it for two years now, it’s a different side but the calf is really important,” he said. “The fatigue and all kind of recovery stuff, you have to be really on it.”
“But it happens and I think with this I have to be really careful and with the workouts, rehab and everything I got to take it the most serious.”
Hachimura’s Return Comes at Key Moment for Lakers
Before the injury, Hachimura had been one of the Lakers’ most reliable rotation pieces, averaging 12.7 points and 3.8 rebounds while shooting 52.1% from the field and a career-high 44.5% from three-point range on 4.1 attempts per game.
His absence has forced Los Angeles into makeshift lineup combinations and placed added strain on an already thin bench. The Lakers currently rank last in the NBA in bench scoring at 24.9 points per game, well behind the rest of the league.
Getting Hachimura back, even in a limited role, should help stabilize the rotation and restore lineup flexibility as the Lakers continue to jockey for position in the Western Conference. They currently sit fifth at 23-13, 2.5 games behind the San Antonio Spurs in second place.
The 27-year-old’s ability to defend multiple positions and knock down open shots has been difficult to replace during his time sidelined. In his absence, Jake LaRavia has benefited most, stepping into the starting lineup and logging increased minutes.
While there have been calls for LaRavia to retain a larger role, Hachimura’s return is viewed less as a lineup debate and more as a necessary boost to overall depth.
While his return is expected to be gradual, all signs point towards Hachimura being available against Sacramento. For the Lakers, it represents timely reinforcement for a team that has been carefully managing injuries and could use added depth as the schedule tightens.