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When it comes to Los Angeles Lakers players who are about to become free agents, most of the attention is focused on LeBron James and Austin Reaves. But forward Rui Hachimura is another soon-to-be free agent whom the team will likely want to re-sign.
He averaged 11.5 points a game and shot 51.4% from the field and 44.3% from 3-point range during the regular season, and in the playoffs, he put up 17.5 points per game and made an incredible 56.9% of his 3-point attempts. While the 6-foot-8, 230-pound 28-year-old is a weak rebounder and perimeter defender, he's the type of complementary player who can get and stay hot, and players like that can swing playoff series in their team's favor.
After the Lakers were swept out of the second round of the NBA playoffs by the Oklahoma City Thunder, Hachimura sounded as if he wants to stay with them.
Losing Hachimura would be a blow for a Lakers team that already lacks depth and productive complementary players. His red-hot shooting this postseason made him the NBA's all-time leader in 3-point accuracy during the playoffs at 51.6%. While the Lakers ranked 14th during the regular season in 3-point accuracy, they're currently listed at second in that category during the playoffs behind only the well-oiled New York Knicks.
The Japanese native made $18.26 million this season. He may have to accept a bit of a pay cut in order to remain with the team he says he loves.
This article originally appeared on LeBron Wire: Rui Hachimura on upcoming free agency: 'I love this team'
Continue reading...
He averaged 11.5 points a game and shot 51.4% from the field and 44.3% from 3-point range during the regular season, and in the playoffs, he put up 17.5 points per game and made an incredible 56.9% of his 3-point attempts. While the 6-foot-8, 230-pound 28-year-old is a weak rebounder and perimeter defender, he's the type of complementary player who can get and stay hot, and players like that can swing playoff series in their team's favor.
After the Lakers were swept out of the second round of the NBA playoffs by the Oklahoma City Thunder, Hachimura sounded as if he wants to stay with them.
Losing Hachimura would be a blow for a Lakers team that already lacks depth and productive complementary players. His red-hot shooting this postseason made him the NBA's all-time leader in 3-point accuracy during the playoffs at 51.6%. While the Lakers ranked 14th during the regular season in 3-point accuracy, they're currently listed at second in that category during the playoffs behind only the well-oiled New York Knicks.
The Japanese native made $18.26 million this season. He may have to accept a bit of a pay cut in order to remain with the team he says he loves.
This article originally appeared on LeBron Wire: Rui Hachimura on upcoming free agency: 'I love this team'
Continue reading...
