Google Image
Matthew Adams
Staff Writer
The Los Angeles Lakers created a package to send former Lakers guard Kendrick Nunn to the Washington Wizards for the 6 ‘8 power forward, Rui Hachimura and three second-round 2023, 2028 and 2029 second-round draft picks on Jan. 23, 2023.
The 2023 picks will come from the Chicago Bulls. The 2028 pick will come from the Wizards. The 2029 pick will come from the Lakers.
With the Lakers acquiring Hachimura, they are adding more young talent while providing a solid power forward who can score efficiently. Hachimura was averaging 13 points, 1.2 assists, and 4.3 rebounds with the Wizards before the trade.
Lakers fans are highly satisfied with this trade since LeBron James will receive another young player who he can develop, other than Anthony Davis.
Chris Taylor, a freshman computer science major from St. Louis, Mo., expressed that Hachimura could develop more with the guidance of James.
“Lebron is great with younger players,” Taylor stated. “Previous Lakers teammates, Lonzo Ball and Brandon Ingram, were able to gain insight and guidance through the NBA with the help of Lebron.”
While the Lakers appear to have won the trade, some would argue that the Wizards acquired a steal. The Wizards received Kendrick Nunn, who has been on four different teams since entering the league three years ago.
Nunn averaged 6.7 points, 0.9 assists, and 1.4 rebounds before he departed from the Lakers. He played 39 games for the Lakers and started two games. His explosiveness and ability to get to the rim will benefit the Wizards greatly with their main scorers Bradley Beal, Kristaps Porzingis, and Kyle Kuzma.
Since the trade, both players have had the opportunity to display what they will bring to the team. On Jan. 25, both players made their debut for their new teams.
Hachimura played 21 minutes against the San Antonio Spurs and made an immediate impact. He contributed 12 points and 6 rebounds, which took some pressure off of a returning Davis, who scored 21 points off the bench.
The new Lakers forward reflected on his debut and expectations for the remainder of the season.
“I loved the energy out there,” Hachimura said. “[Anthony Davis, LeBron James, and Russell Westbrook] can make things look easy for their teammates … Playing with those guys, it’s amazing,” Hachimura said in an article on ClutchPoints.
According to ClutchPoints author Michael Corvo, Hachimura’s debut caused a countrywide crash in Japan, which is his home country.
“Rakuten — the streaming platform which has been the NBA’s exclusive live-game distribution partner and provides the only official platform to watch games in Japan — apparently experienced a crash around tip-off of Spurs-Lakers due to high viewing demand,” stated Corvo in the article.
The Lakers easily defeated the Spurs 113-104.
Nunn also put up an impressive debut, catalyzing a 19-point comeback win against the Houston Rockets.
He recorded an efficient 12 points, four rebounds, and four assists in 22 minutes. This is a huge jump from his original playing time with the Lakers where he averaged around 13 minutes per game.
Nunn hit five out of his nine attempted shots from the field and also contributed on defense, picking up two steals.
“I just wanted to come in and impact winning,” Nunn said during his postgame interview. “Play hard, be aggressive, be myself and just impact winning. That’s all I did today.”
Although many NBA fans were satisfied with the trade, others believe that the trade won’t make much of a difference.
Noah Mason, a sophomore graphic design major, believes the trade was mediocre and that neither team would benefit from this.
“[Kendrick Nunn and Rui Hachimura] are both injury prone, which doesn’t help their respective teams in the future,” said Mason. “This trade was mediocre at best, but has potential to see results on both sides of the trade.”
As the All-Star break approaches, only time will reveal how impactful the trade made by both teams was, as they prepare for a much-needed run to secure their spots in the playoffs.
