Rui Hachimura injury status and update ahead of Lakers vs. 76ers on Nov. 8

Rui Hachimura has been a breath of fresh air for the Los Angeles Lakers during the 2024-25 season. Finally trusted with consistent playing time, his energy has been infectious and his offense has helped pace the team through games.

Unfortunately, Hachimura missed the Lakers' most recent outing and there's doubt surrounding his availability for the Nov. 8 clash with the Philadelphia 76ers.

Hachimura was absent from Los Angeles' Nov. 6 game against the Memphis Grizzlies due to an illness. The obvious hope was that he'd be able to recover in time for the upcoming encounter with the 76ers, but it appears as though that decision will be made closer to tip-off.

The Lakers revealed in their injury report that, while big men Anthony Davis and Jaxson Hayes are probable, Rui Hachimura is still questionable due to an illness.

The Lakers are in desperate need of a win to reroute the current momentum, and having Hachimura on the court would go a long way toward facilitating that result.

Rui Hachimura is questionable for Lakers vs. 76ers due to illness

Hachimura has appeared in seven of the Lakers' eight games, thus far averaging a career-best 34.1 minutes per appearance. In terms of his production, he's tallied marks of 13.6 points, 6.4 rebounds, 2.1 offensive boards, 1.6 assists, and 1.7 three-point field goals made on .420/.571/.833 shooting.

Beyond the numbers, Hachimura has provided consistent energy and intensity on both ends of the floor for a team in dire need of it.

Hachimura has set the tone early in games with his aggressive approach to attacking defenses that haven't yet settled into their formation. He needs to be a bit more consistent with his approach to scoring during the second half, but his energy remains a valuable asset.

Hachimura is tied with Davis for the team lead in offensive rebounding and has thus far lived up to the expectations set by JJ Redick in terms of his style of play and new focal points.

Redick made it clear during the offseason that he wants Hachimura to corner crash and space the floor with more consistency. That's exactly what the 26-year-old has provided early in the 2024-25 season, which has thus made him one of the most valuable players on the team.

The Lakers are outscoring opponents by 6.0 points per 100 possessions when Hachimura is on the court—the best mark of any player who has seen at least 100 minutes of playing time.

Once Hachimura is healthy again, the Lakers should see an instant increase in quality of play. Even if his unsustainably efficient three-point shooting declines a bit, he's proven to be a more than capable shooter in the past—and his production from inside the arc should improve along the way.

Hachimura has been something of an enigma during his Lakers career, but if the early stages of the 2024-25 season prove anything, it's that the purple and gold desperately need him on the court.