Rui Hachimura Discussion: Huge Buckets

WOW Rui! My prediction is still Rui stays. JJ likes him and the valuable shooting from deep and mid range, improved defense, plus his size and strength are enough to make up for not being a better rebounder. He’s also the Lakers’ … like Dodgers’ …. connection to the Japanese market in their very aggressive global marketing efforts. Helps too he’s a handsome good guy and well liked.

 

i heard that Fruition--a Japanese startup focusing on planting rice paddies in CA--is looking for a (no-show) pitchman. lucrative opportunity.

 

Some timely 3s and big shots like the one over KD



Good help and rotations on defense.

5 rebounds. For him, that's a lot (unfortunately).

Solid.

 

Such a frustraing player. I really am over him for the next season.

 

I thought Rui had a nice game. Perhaps could get more involved and aggressive on offense, but his effort was there on defense and rebounded well as @JSM said

Despite his faults with being inconsistent, brain dead at times, he is also one of the few people that can shoot 3's well in the playoffs for us. I'd be happy to keep him if the price is right.

He certainly played better than Tari Eason (who some have clamored for here in the past) and the great Dorian Finney "DNP" Smith.

 

Best defensive game I've ever seen him played . was EVERYWHERE

 

Rui is absorbing lots of minutes so far and he has to be commended for that. He came ready and is in good condition.

 

lol, so...about operating over the cap...

 

We can afford to keep him. I mean cap circumvention is legal in the NBA after all.

We can help him get a job as a honorary vice president of the LA branch of Nintendo. And we can pay Nintendo 25m per year to have the honour of having them as our shirt patch sponsor since we like Nintendo so much.

 

We can afford to keep him. I mean cap circumvention is legal in the NBA after all.

We can help him get a job as a honorary vice president of the LA branch of Nintendo. And we can pay Nintendo 25m per year to have the honour of having them as our shirt patch sponsor since we like Nintendo so much.

 

https://x.com/i/status/2046928070544597436


Extremely tough player to value. Dumb, doesn't rebound or box out well, limited offense game and will do brutal mistakes (missing a critical layout)

Ototh he can shoot and he's shown growth finally this year under JJ on defense.

 

With the way he's playing defense right now, he's a true 3 & D player. The problem is that it's not reliable, and we don't really expect him to play like this all next season and playoffs. But if he did, he would be well worth bringing back. Even with the lack of rebounding, bc Luka, Austin (and LeBron if back) all rebound well.

All we really need to be a contender next season is 2 good 3 & D players (including 1 of them at POA). Of course we would like even more, like a C upgrade and bench upgrades, but if you add those 3 & D players to the Lakers of March, then that's enough to at least be in the range of contention.

And if Rui can play like he is right now, then he's basically Watson, and we can focus on getting the POA 3 & D starter, plus draft a rim defense C like people are suggesting in that thread. Anyway, like most of the rest of us, I don't think Rui will stay like this for long enough - but if he can, he will be well worth paying.

Spoiler

In hot dogs.

[/abeer]

 

Yeah, that's what's so frustrating is you'll see the flashes.

He'll have one great defensive game or one big rebounding game. You want to scream at him and shake him that if he ratchets up the effort and even does those things 50% of the season then he's looking to earn at minimum an additional $12-15m a year. That should be serious, smelling salt kind of money.

 

Rui can defend PF’s well but that’s the position we want Lebron and Luka in. If he rebounded better, it would be kind of a no brainer.

Sign Ellis and bring back everyone. But since he can’t be consistent, we’ll probably let him go and aim for a bigger fish.