Nearly the entire Los Angeles Lakers roster is entering unrestricted free agency this summer, meaning there are many decisions for general manager Rob Pelinka to make. Rui Hachimura is one of those guys, as his three-year, $51 million deal expires.
Hachimura has blossomed into an offensive machine since his trade to L.A. back at the 2023 trade deadline. He is one of the most efficient and effective perimeter shooters in the league and has the highest playoff three-point percentage in league history (51.6%). Pelinka broke down the relationship between the two sides in reference to his free agency.
“Incredibly proud of what Rui accomplished for us in the playoffs and what he’s done also in playoffs before this year,” Pelinka said at his end-of-season press conference. “In terms of your question about his growth and development here, I’ll take the non-basketball court stuff with Rui. Just his overall professionalism and mindset.
“From the time I traded for him when he came from the Wizards, Rui has gotten incredibly comfortable here. Comfortable with the coaches, the front office and our systems. What I’ve seen is once Rui gets to a point of trust and comfort, then he grows exponentially with his production on the court. That’s what I’ve noticed most about him, is there’s a trust factor and comfort level that allows him to be the highest version of himself. That’s really important to keep those pieces. Credit to Rui and just how he’s grown as a human.”
Prior to the 2025-26 season, it seemed very possible that the Lakers would let Hachimura walk to another team and not make a significant effort to retain him. But his shooting proved to be an immensely positive contribution next to Luka Doncic, and his scoring was vital in the playoffs without him.
Hachimura’s market will likely dictate whether or not the Lakers retain him or replace him, but if both sides can come to a compromise, having Hachimura back in purple and gold would be a win for L.A.
Lakers among reported suitors for Mitchell Robinson
The Lakers have been named among reported suitors for New York Knicks big man Mitchell Robinson. The Lakers are looking for long-term center options next to Doncic, and Robinson — when healthy — represents a great fit. However, his availability has been far from ideal over the course of his career, making it difficult to invest significant long-term money in him.
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