Since arriving to LA, Rui Hachimura has carved out a valuable role for himself on the lakers. He recently has settled into a bench role this season, providing scoring punch and physicality for the second unit. Since moving to the bench, Hachimura has averaged about 10.2 points, and 3.1 rebounds per game, while shooting around 50% from the field and 37% from three, giving the Lakers an efficient offensive option who can attack mismatches and space the floor. His ability to score effectively has helped stabilize the lakers bench lineups that have struggled to generate offense. When aggressive, Hachimura can quickly swing momentum for the Lakers, as seen in recent games like his 13 point game against the pacers where he shot 62.5% from the field, and 2/3 from three.

Hachimura’s defensive impact, however, remains inconsistent, which is a major reason his role has shifted away from the starting lineup. While he has the size and strength to defend bigger wings and forwards, his lateral quickness and defensive awareness can be liabilities, and often frustrating to watch especially in switching schemes or against quicker perimeter players. These defensive limitations sometimes force the Lakers to pair him with stronger defensive players to balance lineups. The front office will likely weigh whether his defensive limitations justify a significant long-term contract, considering he becomes a free agent this summer

— @LakeshowX on X

Rui Hachimura’s Career Stats