Rui Hachimura’s Growth Has Made Him Invaluable to the Lakers - Whether He Starts or Not
DALLAS - Rui Hachimura gets it.
At this point in his career, he’s not chasing touches, counting minutes, or lobbying for a spot in the starting five. He’s chasing wins - and that mindset might be exactly what the Lakers need as they navigate a pivotal stretch of the season.
With Austin Reaves expected back soon from a calf injury, Lakers head coach JJ Redick will have a decision to make: does Hachimura stay in the starting lineup, or does the team pivot to a more defensive look with players like Jake LaRavia or Marcus Smart getting the nod?
A few years ago, that kind of decision might’ve rattled Hachimura. But now? He’s unfazed.
“A lot of people think about stats and all that, but for me it’s like winning. That’s gonna help us to everybody get paid,” Hachimura said postgame in Dallas.
“And especially with this second unit, I get more touches too. … I don’t mind.
It’s more so like, who’s finishing the game? Or who’s playing more?
For me, that’s more important.”
That’s not just a soundbite - that’s a player who’s grown into his role and understands how to thrive in it. And on Saturday night, he showed exactly why he’s become such a key piece of what the Lakers are building.
In a tight game against the Mavericks, Hachimura delivered two of the biggest shots of the night - back-to-back threes in the fourth quarter, one of which came with a foul that turned it into a four-point play. He wasn’t dominating the ball or featured in the offense, but when the moment came, he was ready.
That readiness doesn’t happen by accident. It’s the product of a player who’s figured out how to stay locked in, even when the ball isn’t finding him.
“It’s funny. I think I got used to it,” Hachimura said.
“It’s four years here, and [the] first three years I was, I didn’t know what to do. If I didn’t touch the ball for like a whole quarter, like, it’s done for me.
I can’t do anything for the game. But now I’m used to it.”
He’s learned how to contribute even when the offense runs elsewhere. Against Dallas, before he hit those clutch threes, he was making plays on the margins - blocking a shot, diving for loose balls, cleaning the glass in crunch time. That’s the kind of impact that doesn’t always show up in the box score, but it wins games.
“When I had that [mindset before] I used to think, ‘Oh f-, I couldn’t shoot, I didn’t touch the ball,’” he added. “But now, I’m trying to think, ‘OK, what can I do to help win this game?’
Rebound, box out, help defense. Those are little movements that keep me in the game.
So then, when I get the ball, I’m still in rhythm.”
That mental shift - from scorer to complete player - has been a slow, steady evolution since the Lakers acquired him at the 2023 trade deadline. He credits former assistant coach Phil Handy for helping him reshape his game to fit around stars like LeBron James and Anthony Davis. And now, with a supporting cast that includes Reaves and Luka Dončić, Hachimura’s off-ball value is more important than ever.
“He’s easy,” Redick said. “He comes in.
He gets his work in. He bangs shots.”
Redick isn’t rushing to lock in his starting five just yet. Saturday marked Hachimura’s first game without a minutes restriction since returning from a calf injury on Jan.
- His current seven-game stretch off the bench is his longest run in a reserve role since early last season, before he earned a spot in the starting lineup.
But whether he starts or not, Hachimura’s value is clear. He’s on pace for his third straight season shooting 40 percent or better from beyond the arc - a level of consistency that’s earned him the label of “laser” from his coach. In fact, he’s quietly become one of the top 15 shooters from deep in the league this season.
And with the trade deadline approaching, that kind of floor-spacing, two-way versatility becomes even more valuable. He doesn’t need the ball to make an impact. He just needs to be on the floor.
“I like my role here,” Hachimura said. “The things that I like to do, I’m doing here. I just gotta embrace doing whatever it takes to win for the team.”
That’s the kind of mindset that keeps a locker room together. It’s also the kind of mindset that wins playoff games. Whether he’s starting, finishing, or playing somewhere in between, Hachimura has become exactly the kind of player every contender needs: reliable, unselfish, and ready when it counts.