Lakers Make Trade Decision on 6-Foot-8 Starter

The Los Angeles Lakers are exploring every avenue to upgrade before the trade deadline. But currently, among the roster, only Rui Hachimura's name keeps popping up in trade circles.

The 6-foot-8 forward's expiring $18.2 million contract gives the franchise a salary-matching flexibility to chase upgrades. But limited assets leave Rob Pelinka stuck between competing now and protecting future cap space. Hachimura's recent play isn't helping his case much either.

He's averaging 12.5 points, 3.6 rebounds and 0.9 assists through 35 games this season, which are all slightly below his career averages. But Hachimura does remain a sharpshooter at 51.1% from the field and 43.9% from deep.

The seven-year veteran missed seven straight games in late December and the first couple weeks of this month with a calf strain, then struggled to relocate his form in the first several games back. But he did score 23 points in Monday's win over the Chicago Bulls, his highest point total since early November.

Second-year head coach JJ Redick pushed Hachimura to the second unit, and the power forward handled the situation professionally.

"A lot of people think about stats and all that, but for me it's like winning. That's gonna help us to everybody get paid," Hachimura said to The Athletic. "And especially with this second unit, I get more touches too. … I don't mind.”