The NBA trade season has officially begun as the Los Angeles Lakers traded three second-round picks along with guard Kendrick Nunn to the Washington Wizards to acquire 2019 first-round pick Rui Hachimura.
This trade comes seventeen days before the NBA Trade Deadline on Thursday, February 9.
The Los Angeles Lakers are finalizing a trade sending guard Kendrick Nunn and three second-round picks to the Washington Wizards for Rui Hachimura, sources tell @TheAthletic @Stadium. https://t.co/aTP7eYyGOh
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) January 23, 2023
This trade is interesting for both sides as Hachimura has yet to live up to his number nine overall selection in the 2019 NBA Draft. This has occurred due to some injuries he has suffered and the long-time instability of the Washington Wizards franchise.
To add on, Hachimura is set to be a restricted free agent in the offseason; thus, the Wizards were uncomfortable with extending him. Hence, they decided to get something for him rather than just letting him walk for nothing.
The Wizards currently find themselves as the twelfth seed in the East and show no signs of being able to compete this season, so another trade could be on the horizon in their attempt to shed salaries or other soon-to-be free agents like Kyle Kuzma, for example.
As for the Lakers, they also find themselves as a twelfth seed, but with the recent play of LeBron James and the encouraging timetable of recovery for Anthony Davis, perhaps LA feels they are a couple of pieces away from competing and may have more moves planned up their sleeves depending on how they play in the next few weeks leading up to the February 9 trade deadline.
Something of note, Hachimura will be reunited with his former Wizards teammate Russell Westbrook.
It is now being reported that the Lakers are planning to extend Hachimura this offseason as he becomes a restricted free agent; that is very surprising due to Hachimura’s up-and-down play, but maybe, the Lakers are confident they can insert him into their team and help him become a better player.
The Lakers traded for Hachimura with the intention of signing him to an extension this summer, sources tell ESPN. Hachimura can be a restricted free agent. https://t.co/TAdM1h8iAH
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) January 23, 2023
To go back to Washington, it has been a struggle the last two seasons for Kendrick Nunn after he fled the Miami Heat to join the Lakers two summers ago. With that said, with more opportunities and less of a spotlight, Nunn may be able to revive his career and look to earn another contract this summer as he is set to become a free agent.
All in all, the Lakers traded some future draft capital in exchange for someone who can help them win now and perhaps in the future; while the Wizards traded an upcoming free agent, they had no plans to re-sign and acquired some assets rather than losing him for nothing in the offseason.
Let us know what you think about the Lakers acquiring Rui Hachimura by either leaving a reaction at the bottom of the post or by sending us a tweet at @celebsecrets.
