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Mind-boggling stat shows how important Rui Hachimura is to Lakers

By Jason Reed

NEW YORK, NEW YORK - JANUARY 18: Rui Hachimura #8 of the Washington Wizards attempts a jump shot during the third quarter of the game against the New York Knicks at Madison Square Garden on January 18, 2023 in New York City. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Dustin Satloff/Getty Images)
NEW YORK, NEW YORK - JANUARY 18: Rui Hachimura #8 of the Washington Wizards attempts a jump shot during the third quarter of the game against the New York Knicks at Madison Square Garden on January 18, 2023 in New York City. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Dustin Satloff/Getty Images) /
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After weeks of begging from the fanbase, the Los Angeles Lakers finally made a trade on Monday. Los Angeles agreed to trade Kendrick Nunn and three second-round picks (one of which being a pick swap) to the Washington Wizards for Rui Hachimura.

Hachimura, 24, is a restricted free agent this summer and was not part of Washington’s long-term plans. However, the Lakers reportedly traded for Hachimura with the intent of signing him to an extension in the offseason.

This is a great trade for the Lakers that not only addresses the team’s lack of wing depth in the short term but also provides a young player that can be part of the long-term plans. Previous reports indicated that Los Angeles was looking to make moves with the immediate future also in mind and this certainly does that.

Above all else, there is one stat that helps highlight how important Hachimura is going to be to the Lakers and it has to do with his three-point shooting. Fans should overlook his season percentage of 33.7% as there is something much more compelling about Hachimura that makes him a home-run fit on this team.

Despite his overall struggles in shooting threes this season, Hachimura has still proven to be an elite catch-and-shoot specialist. That is exactly what Los Angeles needs on this roster and Rob Pelinka knows that.

Rui Hachimura will thrive as a catch-and-shoot specialist on the Los Angeles Lakers.

The floor spacing in Washington has not necessarily been the best as the team does not really have a true point guard that distributes for the role players. When Monte Morris leads your team in assists per game you know that there is not a great facilitator.

That is obviously not the case in LA, where LeBron James is instantly going to take Hachimura’s game to the next level. Outside of Nikola Jokic, there is not a better distributor in the game than LeBron.

Heck, even Russell Westbrook provides a great catch-and-shoot assist man for Hachimura off the bench. If there is one thing that Westbrook loves to do it is drive to the basket and kick out to a three-point shooter.

Once Anthony Davis returns from injury Hachimura is only going to get better looks as well. LeBron and AD have such a gravitational force near the rim that is going to open things up around the perimeter. In the past, the Lakers did not have a consistent enough shooter to make other teams pay for this. Now they do.

This Hachimura trade was a home run on multiple levels for the Los Angeles Lakers and is such a great start to the trade season. Now we just have to hope that the team follows it up with another move (or two).

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