There's a reasonable chance that Rui Hachimura priced himself out of what the Los Angeles Lakers can realistically justify paying him this summer. Hachimura shot an absurd 56.9 percent from beyond the arc during the 2026 NBA Playoffs and is likely to be on many teams' radars once free agency begins.
If the Lakers ultimately lose Hachimura to the open market, then it would be hard to view Tari Eason as anything other than the perfect replacement.
In an ideal world, Los Angeles would find a way to sign Eason and re-sign Hachimura. Doing so would give them two 6'8" forwards with positional versatility, respectable three-point shooting, and the balance they need on the defensive end of the floor.
While Hachimura is a committed all-around defender who can play on or away from the ball, Eason is the point of attack specialist the Lakers need to make the leap.
In the event that signing Eason and re-signing Hachimura isn't an option, however, then the former development would still be a dream come true. Eason is 25 years of age and already one of the top defensive forwards in the NBA.
For a Lakers team that's prepared to run its offense through Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves, Eason is the defensive-minded player Los Angeles needs for the next stage of its evolution.
Tari Eason is the point of attack defender the Lakers need at forward
Over the past two seasons, Eason has recorded averages that translate to 15.9 points, 8.9 rebounds, 3.1 offensive boards, 2.1 assists, 2.0 steals, 0.9 blocks, and 1.9 three-point field goals made per 36 minutes. He's done so while shooting at a respectable clip of .451/.351/.766.
During that same time, Hachimura has recorded averages of 14.7 points, 4.9 rebounds, 1.1 offensive boards, 1.3 assists, 0.8 steals, 0.4 blocks, and 2.1 three-point field goals made per 36 minutes on .512/.428/.741 shooting.
On a basic level, the Lakers would be getting a more productive rebounder and defender who offers a bit more volume as a scorer at the expense of a degree of efficiency. Defensively, they'd be losing an top-tier off-ball defender and gaining an elite on-ball force.
In 2025-26, Hachimura ranked in the 76th percentile in perimeter isolation defense and the 90th percentile in off-ball chaser defense. Eason finished in the 92nd and 71st percentiles.
That paints a clear picture of how perfectly they'd fit alongside one another, with one player's strengths complementing the other's. Unfortunately, there's a chance that building the perimeter around both will prove too costly with re-signing Reaves and finding a starting center still on the agenda.
If that proves to be the case and Hachimura ultimately signs elsewhere, then the Lakers must do everything they can to replace him with Eason.
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