The Los Angeles Lakers have acquired forward Rui Hachimura from the Washington Wizards in exchange for guard Kendrick Nunn and three second-round picks, it was announced today by Vice President of Basketball Operations and General Manager Rob Pelinka.
“We are excited to welcome Rui and his family to the Los Angeles Lakers,” said Pelinka. “Adding both size and depth to the wing position has been a goal, and the chance to accomplish that by acquiring a player with Rui’s two-way skills and upside was an opportunity that doesn’t present itself often. We want to thank Kendrick Nunn and his family for his time as a Laker, and we wish him nothing but the best in the future.”
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Hachimura (6’8”, 230) has appeared in 30 games for Washington this season, averaging 13.0 points (.488 FG%, .337 3P%), 4.3 rebounds and 1.2 assists in 24.3 minutes per game. In 177 career NBA games (118 starts) across four seasons (2019-23) with the Wizards, the 24-year-old has averaged 13.0 points, 5.1 rebounds and 1.4 assists in 27.8 minutes, shooting 47.9 percent from the field and 35.6 percent from 3-point range. Hachimura, who received All-Rookie Second Team honors in 2020, has played in five career playoff games (all starts) with the Wizards, averaging 14.8 points, 7.2 rebounds and 1.0 assists in 34.6 minutes per game.
The Japan native was selected with the ninth overall pick in the 2019 NBA Draft after a three-year collegiate career (2016-19) at Gonzaga University. In his final season as a junior, Hachimura appeared in 37 games and averaged 19.7 points, 6.5 rebounds and 1.5 assists in 30.2 minutes per contest on his way to being named a consensus First Team All-American.
Nunn averaged 6.7 points and 1.4 rebounds in 13.5 minutes per game in 39 appearances for the Lakers this season.
