The Los Angeles Lakers entered the the 2024-25 NBA regular season with a question mark of a player filling out its starting lineup. Anthony Davis and LeBron James are superstars, Austin Reaves is a proven postseason performer, and D'Angelo Russell is a former All-Star, but Rui Hachimura is an enigma.
Equipped with the physical attributes and talent to be a high-level player, Hachimura has thus far been unable to translate his acclaimed international play to the NBA.
There have been flashes of brilliance from Hachimura, including the four 20-point games he produced during the Lakers' run to the 2023 Western Conference Finals. Playing time has been tough to come by, however, and many have attribued that to his general inconsistency.
While former head coach Darvin Ham opted against allowing Hachimura to play through his weaker moments, JJ Redick has empowered the 26-year-old to put past concerns behind him.
Hachimura has played at least 31 minutes in each of the Lakers' first four games in 2024-25. By comparison, he received at least 30 minutes of playing time in just 39.7 percent of his appearances during the 2023-24 season.
The result has been a more aggressive and energetic Hachimura—a significant reason the Lakers are 3-1 through four games against postseason-caliber opponents.
Rui Hachimura is proving consistent playing time is all he needed
Through four games, Hachimura is averaging 17.5 points, 7.8 rebounds, 3.5 offensive boards, 2.0 assists, and 3.0 three-point field goals made. Some of those numbers may decrease as the season progresses, but it sets a strong general range for what he's capable of providing.
For what it's worth: Hachimura's scoring numbers are on par with the 17.8 points per game he averaged when he received at least 30 minutes of playing time in 2023-24.
Regardless of what the numbers ultimately look like at the end of the season, Hachimura is developing habits that will make the Lakers a better team. His energy has been infectious, providing all-out effort on both ends of the floor.
That's been essential to Los Angeles getting off to strong starts in the first quarter, when Hachimura has helped set the tone for the entire team.
Hachimura's relentless pursuit of second chances, as well as his refreshing willingness to shoot whenever he's open, has defined his success. He isn't waiting for things to happen for him; he's creating opportunities while simultaneously embracing the need for off-ball movement.
That combination epitomizes what Redick wants from his team—and why, when the Lakers are firing on all cylinders, they look like a legitimate contender.
Hachimura is chasing down loose balls, corner crashing to create second chances, and attacking the rim when space has been created for him. He's also exploiting favorable matchups when switches pit him against smaller defenders, shooting threes as they come his way, and displaying consistent effort on defense.
It's too early to know what the Lakers can expect from his box score contributions, but Hachimura is the shining example of how Redick has already changed the culture in Los Angeles.
