Patrick Beverley challenges Rui Hachimura to step up for Lakers

Hachimura has started 48 games for the Lakers. Last season, he spent 46 percent of his minutes as a small forward, 49 percent of his minutes as a power forward and 5 percent of his minutes as a center. He shot 76 percent around the rim, 40 percent from mid-range and 42 percent from three-point range, per Cleaning the Glass. It's that type of positional versatility and three-level scoring that could allow Hachimura to emerge as an essential part of the Lakers rotation moving forward.

The five-year veteran is still young enough to improve his game but has enough experience to begin shouldering a heavier load for the team. Redick must use Hachimura's skill set to his advantage and begin getting the best out of the former lottery pick. The rookie head coach has been tasked with developing some of the younger players on the roster. 

“We wanted to kind of think a different way,” Lakers co-owner Jeanie Buss said during an appearance on LA AM 570. “Really, he’s got a vision. I’m not comfortable talking about the basketball stuff, but we were looking for a candidate who would bring something different and really invest in developing young players. JJ is the right person for us."

A big issue with Darvin Ham last season was how frequently he changed his lineups, rotations and combinations. If Redick can settle on a core group of players early, the Lakers will have a better chance of success next season. Hachimura must prove he can be part of that group, and it all begins during training camp. After all, he's had his time to grow accustomed to the league. Now, he must prove he can be more than a role player.