The Lakers made a bunch of moves on Day 2 of free agency, restocking the roster to stay competitive even after losing LeBron James. But all those signings ate up their cap space fast, and now Rui Hachimura is basically standing outside the party looking in through the window.
ESPN’s Dave McMenamin talked to multiple league sources who think the Lakers might be cooking up a trade to free up room for Hachimura. That or use the stretch provision on someone like Jarred Vanderbilt or Deandre Ayton to get better numbers on the table. If that doesn’t happen, the team already has Sandro Mamukelashvili on a four-year, $52 million deal. He’s 6-foot-9 and 240 pounds, shot 38.9 percent from three last season on a career-high 3.7 attempts per game, and can basically fill the same role Hachimura did.
Hachimura had a strong season for LA. In the playoffs he averaged 17.5 points and 4 rebounds a game. If the Lakers let him walk, there will be a line of teams ready to pick him up. The market is there.
The Lakers Might Be Looking at Jonathan Kuminga Instead
The Athletic’s Dan Woike reported that the Lakers are interested in adding a young wing, and the name that keeps coming up is Jonathan Kuminga. His $24.3 million team option was just declined by Atlanta, making him available. It’s a different type of player than Hachimura but the upside is real.
But honestly? Hachimura fits. He’s been with the team for a few years now, knows the system, and the chemistry is already there. Re-signing him seems like the obvious move. But the Lakers front office hasn’t done the obvious thing every time, so who knows how this shakes out.
Free agency is still moving and the Lakers have decisions to make. Hachimura sitting unsigned this deep into the process is the kind of thing that usually means something bigger is coming. Or maybe it just means the math doesn’t work. Either way, it’s a situation worth watching.
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