JJ Redick admits the Los Angeles Lakers are at their best when Rui Hachimura is healthy originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
The Los Angeles Lakers are well on their way to being the third seed in the Western Conference by the time the 2025-26 regular season ends. They owe their success to a well-rounded team spearheaded by Luka Doncic.
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Of course, they still have a loaded team with LeBron James and Austin Reaves, but their supporting cast also matters. One of those players is Rui Hachimura, who head coach JJ Redick feels is such an important player for his system.
Hachimura’s importance for the Lakers gets addressed by Redick
As a player, Hachimura is a fantastic player. He has a well-rounded skill set as he can defend at a high level while being a solid tertiary scorer. He is a solid shooter from every area on the court, which meshes well with his teammates.
Unfortunately, Hachimura has not played as often as Redick would like. Redick loves it when Hachimura is available, as they are 42-18 when he does play. Moving forward, they want him to play more because he is a special player.
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Redick laments the fact that they have not had Hachimura on the floor every chance they get. He wants him to be playing out there because he complements everyone who is playing a starring role for the Lakers.
“We are now 42-18 when Rui plays, which is a 57-58-win pace. That tells you all you need to know, his ability to space the floor, his size, it’s important for our team and our rotation,” Redick said after beating the Nets on Friday.
As Hachimura continues to contribute, the Lakers can pull off some surprises. The Oklahoma City Thunder and the San Antonio Spurs are at the top of the West, but they could be in trouble in the Playoffs when the Lakers find their best form.
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