When the Lakers traded for Rui Hachimura in 2023, they were acquiring a disgruntled wing, upset that the Wizards were not willing to commit to him long-term.<\/p>\n
The player who helped them to the second round of the 2026 playoffs<\/a> years later had changed drastically, embracing his role on a team and franchise that has spent multiple years developing him and reaping the benefits.<\/p>\n Advertisement<\/p>\n With the Lakers, Rui has become one of the best long-range shooters in the league and blossomed into a vital role player for a team with title-contending aspirations each year. His incredible performance in the postseason couldn\u2019t have come at a better time for him personally as he\u2019s set to enter free agency this summer.<\/p>\n After the team\u2019s Game 4 loss to the Thunder to end the season, Rui was asked about his impending free agency. As free-agents-to-be always say, he noted he had not thought about it, but did speak about the joy of playing for the Lakers.<\/p>\n \u201cI love this team,\u201d Hachimura said. \u201cI love this organization since I got here. This is my fourth season here. Start from [President of Basketball Operations] Rob [Pelinka], everybody. The owners, Jeanie [Buss] and now new owner Mark [Walter]. I just like them. I just like how they operate everything.<\/p>\n \u201cI really appreciate them for what they\u2019ve done for me. They did a lot for me. I love it here, but at the end of the day, I\u2019m not the one negotiating. My agent is negotiator. I\u2019m not a good negotiator. I put everything on my agents.\u201d<\/p>\n Advertisement<\/p>\n You can understand why he isn\u2019t doing the negotiating because he did a lot to show his hand in this answer. He clearly enjoys a lot of things about playing for the Lakers, including being part of a franchise that committed to his future.<\/p>\n Even outside of this quote from Hachimura, reports indicated that the expectation around the league<\/a> is Rui will return to the Lakers. The price will be an interesting aspect of that.<\/p>\n At around $14-15 million, any team could compete for Rui\u2019s services with the mid-level exception. However, that\u2019d be a pay cut compared to his current deal, and given how well he\u2019s performed, it feels unlikely that will be the case.<\/p>\n In that event, realistically, only the Lakers, Nets<\/a> and Bulls<\/a> can afford to bring him back. And, at his age, it seems unlikely he\u2019d go to rebuilding teams in Brooklyn<\/a> or Chicago<\/a>. It puts the Lakers in the driver\u2019s seat, if they want him back.<\/p>\n Advertisement<\/p>\n And based on how he played in the postseason and the commitment they\u2019ve made for him, it\u2019d be a surprise if they didn\u2019t.<\/p>\n You can follow Jacob on Twitter at @JacobRude<\/a> or on Bluesky at @jacobrude.bsky.social<\/a>.<\/p>\n