The Los Angeles Lakers made a bold decision earlier this summer when they opted to let Rui Hachimura walk in free agency. Hachimura signed a two-year, $28 million contract with the cross-town rival LA Clippers, thus ending a fruitful Lakers tenure.
After the Lakers' pursuit of forward Jonathan Kuminga ended with the unrestricted free agent instead joining the Minnesota Timberwolves, however, Hachimura has gotten the last laugh.
BREAKING: Jonathan Kuminga has agreed to a two-year, $13 million deal with the Minnesota Timberwolves, plus a player option, agent Aaron Turner tells ESPN. Kuminga will be a starter alongside Anthony Edwards, LaMelo Ball, Jaden McDaniels and Rudy Gobert on the West contender. pic.twitter.com/KdtD6YEy9j
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) August 26, 2026
Hachimura played the better part of four seasons with the Lakers. During that time, Los Angeles reached the 2023 Western Conference Finals and won a playoff series in 2026. Individually, he became one of the most efficient three-point shooters in the NBA and a well-rounded defender.
As fate would have it, the Lakers' dream of replacing Hachimura with Kuminga in the starting lineup has fallen short and they're now stuck wondering who can replace either one of them.
Los Angeles' options are limited to fill the final spot in the starting lineup. In terms of the forwards on the roster, it'll likely come down to the imperfect fit of a player such as Jake LaRavia, Matisse Thybulle, or Ziaire Williams, if not the offensively-inclined Sandro Mamukelashvili.
In terms of what the Lakers most realistically need at the 4, however, it's the very skill set that Hachimura possesses and the role he previously played.
Lakers need a Rui Hachimura after Jonathan Kuminga signs with Wolves
In 2025-26, Hachimura ranked in the 87th percentile in percentage of time defending small forwards and the 82nd percentile in percentage of time defending power forwards. Standing at 6'8" and 230 pounds with a 7'2" wingspan, Hachimura utilizes his size, length, strength, and athleticism to be a disruptor on defense.
Though not necessarily a lockdown defender, he ranked in the 78th percentile in perimeter isolation defense and the 91st percentile in off-ball chaser defense. He did this while shooting 44.3 percent from beyond the arc.
Fast forward to the present day and the Lakers are in dire need of a player who can check those exact boxes. Their current forwards have the size and perhaps even the athleticism or defensive acumen, but are subpar three-point shooters.
Mamukelashvili, who spent 93 percent of his minutes at center in 2025-26, per Basketball Reference, is an excellent shooter but has consistently struggled to defend in space.
Kuminga isn't exactly known for his jump shooting, but he at least offers value as a volume scorer and has clear upside on defense. With him out of the equation, however, the Lakers must look at other options—all the while hoping to find a player who does what Hachimura already did for them.
Perhaps it was a necessary evil to let Hachimura walk from a financial perspective, but if the alternative is not knowing how to proceed, then maybe the Lakers should've tried harder to keep him.
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