Lakers

What kind of player have the Lakers acquired? Lakers writer Jovan Buha and Wizards writer Josh Robbins discuss Hachimura's skills.

Also, while he probably has the athleticism to guard many wings in short doses, I think he’s better off defending players who aren’t quite as quick. He should slot in nicely as one of the team’s top seven or eight players. It’s no secret that the Lakers have been seeking an upgrade in the frontcourt, and he appears to check a lot of the boxes. When he’s dialed in, he can play with that level of physicality, and it impacts the game.” As long as he’s an upgrade over those three players, which he should be, I think this deal was worthwhile for the Lakers — at least in the short term. Despite the decline in accuracy, he has become adept at faking a shot beyond the arc, putting the ball on the deck and either pulling up for a midrange jumper (his specialty) or driving to the hoop. I could see Hachimura being more involved in the offense with the second-unit lineups led by James and Westbrook — lineups that want to play fast and get downhill. Moving Hachimura will make it easier for Washington to keep Kuzma this offseason and remain under the luxury tax. He has the potential to be a bona fide floor-spacer. Someone glancing at Hachimura’s stats for the first time may not be overwhelmed by his 13.0 points per game this season, but it’s important to note that he averaged only 23.4 minutes per game in Washington. I think it’s safe to say that Lakers fans are excited about Hachimura’s arrival based on conversations I’ve had and the reaction on social media. Hachimura is making his debut on Wednesday against the Spurs, according to Lakers head coach Darvin Ham.

Davis was playing arguably the best basketball of his career before he got hurt. He is averaging 27.4 points and 12.1 rebounds per game for the Lakers, but more ...

Davis carried the Lakers when James was out, but since Davis went down, LeBron has returned the favor. He is averaging 27.4 points and 12.1 rebounds per game for the Lakers, but more importantly, he managed to drag them out of the bottom the standings after they started the season 2-10. [Los Angeles Lakers](https://www.cbssports.com/nba/teams/LAL/los-angeles-lakers/) star [Anthony Davis](/nba/players/1992786/anthony-davis/) will return to the lineup Wednesday against the [San Antonio Spurs](https://www.cbssports.com/nba/teams/SA/san-antonio-spurs/) barring any setbacks in his pre-game warmups, [according to ESPN's Dave McMenamin](https://twitter.com/mcten/status/1618122256626102273?ref_src=twsrc%5Egoogle%7Ctwcamp%5Eserp%7Ctwgr%5Etweet).

This game also will see the debut in Lakers' colors of Hachimura. He was a solid rotation player off the bench for the Wizards, but he brings a size and skill ...

Charlotte is all in on the Wembanyama sweepstakes and they will be sellers at the trade deadline with [Terry Rozier](https://www.nbcsportsedge.com/basketball/nba/player/30172/terry-rozier), [Gordon Hayward](https://www.nbcsportsedge.com/basketball/nba/player/29582/gordon-hayward) and [Kelly Oubre Jr.](https://www.nbcsportsedge.com/basketball/nba/player/30171/kelly-oubre-jr) all available. It is a great story of perseverance to see [Jonathan Isaac](https://www.nbcsportsedge.com/basketball/nba/player/30432/jonathan-isaac) back on the court for Orlando. Anthony Davis returns after missing 20 games with a stress reaction in his foot — the Lakers went 10-10 thanks to the heroics of [LeBron James](https://www.nbcsportsedge.com/basketball/nba/player/28859/lebron-james) — and the Lakers will add the just-acquired [Rui Hachimura](https://www.nbcsportsedge.com/basketball/nba/player/50971/rui-hachimura) to the rotation. [Zach LaVine](https://www.nbcsportsedge.com/basketball/nba/player/30050/zach-lavine) is not going to make the cut as an All-Star in the East this season, but DeMar DeRozan is going to be on the bugle as the coaches pick the reserves — he’s got the numbers but it’s a crowded field and the Bulls have struggled. [Shai Gilgeous-Alexander](https://www.nbcsportsedge.com/basketball/nba/player/30582/shai-gilgeous-alexander) is leading the way and should be a lock All-Star — if it wasn’t for Doncic and [Stephen Curry](https://www.nbcsportsedge.com/basketball/nba/player/29477/stephen-curry), he should be starting the game in Salt Lake City. Leading the way for that offense is [Anthony Edwards](https://www.nbcsportsedge.com/basketball/nba/player/58299/anthony-edwards), who has been on a hot streak and can still throw it down with the best of them. No team may be more active at the trade deadline than the Clippers, who are looking high and low — and right at [Mike Conley](https://www.nbcsportsedge.com/basketball/nba/player/29279/mike-conley) in Utah — for help at the point guard spot (but they won’t give up [Terance Mann](https://www.nbcsportsedge.com/basketball/nba/player/51483/terance-mann) to do it). All of that comes without [Karl-Anthony Towns](https://www.nbcsportsedge.com/basketball/nba/player/30157/karl-anthony-towns), but it’s something for the team to build on. Injuries caught up with Boston on Tuesday night: No [Jaylen Brown](https://www.nbcsportsedge.com/basketball/nba/player/30298/jaylen-brown), [Marcus Smart](https://www.nbcsportsedge.com/basketball/nba/player/30043/marcus-smart), [Malcolm Brogdon](https://www.nbcsportsedge.com/basketball/nba/player/30331/malcolm-brogdon) or [Al Horford](https://www.nbcsportsedge.com/basketball/nba/player/29278/al-horford) — and [Jayson Tatum](https://www.nbcsportsedge.com/basketball/nba/player/30429/jayson-tatum) is playing through a sore wrist (all that against a good Heat team used to playing without [Jimmy Butler](https://www.nbcsportsedge.com/basketball/nba/player/29711/jimmy-butler)). First, should Sabonis start over [Zion Williamson](https://www.nbcsportsedge.com/basketball/nba/player/50955/zion-williamson) or [Anthony Davis](https://www.nbcsportsedge.com/basketball/nba/player/29801/anthony-davis) (it looks like it will be those three for the final starting frontcourt spot in the West)? Tough road trip the Nuggets are on, they have the Bucks on the second night of a back-to-back Wednesday then travel to face [Joel Embiid](https://www.nbcsportsedge.com/basketball/nba/player/30040/joel-embiid) and the 76ers. It helps that [Jamal Murray](https://www.nbcsportsedge.com/basketball/nba/player/30302/jamal-murray) and [Michael Porter Jr.](https://www.nbcsportsedge.com/basketball/nba/player/30585/michael-porter-jr) have started to look more and more comfortable in recent weeks, not just healthy but more like their old selves.

The Athletic brings the NBA Los Angeles duo of Jovan Buha (Lakers beat writer) and Law Murray (Clippers beat writer) to the roundtable.

That said, they’re about to head out on a difficult five-game Eastern road trip facing [Boston](https://theathletic.com/nba/team/celtics/), New York, [Brooklyn](https://theathletic.com/nba/team/nets/), [Indiana](https://theathletic.com/nba/team/pacers/) and New Orleans. It’s a Clippers home game, and it will be the only game the Clippers play in a six-day span. And after a 7-0 second run put the Clippers up 51-36 with 8:32 left in the first half to force another Ham timeout, the Clippers maintained a double-digit lead for the rest of the game. The final week of the season is bizarre for the Clippers. [John Wall](https://theathletic.com/nba/player/john-wall-Hi3iaXUQCSafuGlJ/) injured his abdomen a week after [Luke Kennard](https://theathletic.com/nba/player/luke-kennard-Ic0bLwnrLLz3FExH/) injured his calf. The defense fell off in a major way for the Clippers. [Troy Brown Jr.](https://theathletic.com/nba/player/troy-brown-jr-VYZHoNMwJDDOVeZ0/) and [Thomas Bryant](https://theathletic.com/nba/player/thomas-bryant-dq4B2s0HiwRTR3cB/) was sporting a net rating of 23.4 overall in the 89 minutes that quintet was on the floor this season. But a Russell Westbrook turnover on an inbounds pass ignited an 8-0 run for the Clippers – and an animated bench argument between Westbrook and Schröder – that extended the Clippers’ lead to 18 and sealed the game. The Clippers’ 19 to 16 advantage on 3-pointers made belies their advantage over the Lakers for most of the evening. The Lakers had won four straight first quarters, and their starting lineup that featured James, Schröder, Patrick Beverley, The Lakers made things interesting in the fourth, with James going supernova to trim the deficit to 10 points with 6:46 remaining. Tonight, the Clippers made more midrange field goals (7-of-12) than the Lakers attempted (1-of-6).

SportsLine's model just revealed its NBA picks for San Antonio Spurs vs. Los Angeles Lakers.

[Visit SportsLine to see which side of the Spurs vs. The model has simulated Spurs vs. Lakers 10,000 times and the results are in. You can head to SportsLine to [see its picks.](https://www.sportsline.com/insiders/lakers-vs-spurs-odds-line-spread-proven-model-reveals-nba-picks-predictions-for-jan-25-2023/#ttag=01252023_agg_cbssports_picks_basketball_nba_model_SpursLakersNBAauto) Here are several [NBA betting lines](https://www.sportsline.com/nba/odds) for Lakers vs. The Spurs poured in 126 points against the Clippers last Friday before scoring 127 points at Portland on Monday. The Lakers have been undervalued of late, covering the spread at a 9-3-1 clip in their last 13 games. San Antonio has been among the worst teams in the NBA this season, and it has lost seven of its last eight games coming into this contest. Spurs](https://www.sportsline.com/nba/game-forecast/NBA_20230125_SA@LAL/). Los Angeles is favored by 7 points in the latest Lakers vs. Spurs odds from Caesars Sportsbook, while the over/under is set at 243. [Los Angeles Lakers](https://www.cbssports.com/nba/teams/LAL/los-angeles-lakers/) will play the second leg of a back-to-back when they face the [San Antonio Spurs](https://www.cbssports.com/nba/teams/SA/san-antonio-spurs/) on Wednesday night. Los Angeles had won two straight games before getting crushed by the [Clippers](https://www.cbssports.com/nba/teams/LAC/los-angeles-clippers/) in a 133-115 final on Tuesday.

LOS ANGELES — In his first public comments since Lakers Media Day in late September, vice president of basketball operations and general manager Rob Pelinka ...

And Rui is a step in the right direction in terms of that thinking and we’ll continue to see what’s going on, what’s available, what can we do. “And we wouldn’t trade for a young player without doing a deep dive and study and having plans, hopefully, to keep him here for the long term.” “My job is to be out on the floor and make sure my guys are locked in and ready to go.” “And we expect to play very, very hard in those games and hopefully continue to win at a high clip.” [while helpful for the Lakers’ present and future](https://theathletic.com/4118653/2023/01/23/rui-hachimura-trade-la-lakers/), is not enough to give the Lakers a real shot to come out of the West. We all have to do our jobs and do them with excellence and all be together. There is a legitimate argument to be made that the Lakers should go all-in on this season no matter their current record. The Lakers used many of their future trade assets to acquire Davis in 2019 and Russell Westbrook in 2021, so the 2027 and 2029 first-round selections represent their last shot to significantly improve the roster, at least through next season. And, I said this at the beginning of the season, if there’s an opportunity to get all the way to the end and win a championship, there’s no resource we’ll hold onto if we feel like that’s there. “And (it) doesn’t mean our work is finished: We’re going to continue to monitor the situation with the 29 other teams. Our job as a front office is always to look to improve our team both now and in the future, and we felt like Rui was the perfect way to do that. 9 deadline, but preached caution when asked about the possibility of using the team’s most valuable trade assets — the two first-round picks in 2027 and 2029 — to make a more significant roster upgrade.

Rob Pelinka says the Lakers' goal remains winning a championship and he's in touch with other teams about options ahead of the trade deadline.

“My job is to be out on the floor and make sure my guys are locked in and ready to go.” “Of course, this is the time of year, with the trade deadline a couple weeks away, where we’re canvassing the league on ways to get better,” Pelinka said. We all have to do our jobs and do them with excellence and all be together. [Rui Hachimura](https://www.latimes.com/sports/lakers/story/2023-01-23/lakers-trade-kendrick-nunn-wizards-rui-hachimura), Pelinka said that “the calculus for the Lakers is to win a championship or not. So as we analyze opportunities, we have to do it through that lens.” [Analysis: Lakers’ acquisition of Rui Hachimura isn’t a blockbuster move, but it’s a sensible one](https://www.latimes.com/sports/lakers/story/2023-01-23/lakers-trade-kendrick-nunn-wizards-rui-hachimura) He has been ramping up his work the last few days, playing five-on-five.

Opposing teams have spent the entire season asking the Lakers for one of their two tradable first-round picks in almost any negotiated trade, but the Washington ...

Further, by starting Hachimura, the Lakers are essentially committing to keeping Davis at center for the rest of the year. Of course, that is a decision the Lakers don't need to make until the offseason. While the Lakers are incredibly thin at forward, their two best players happen to be in the front-court. [Andre Drummond](/nba/players/1992788/andre-drummond/) a starting position in 2021 upon his arrival despite [Marc Gasol's](/nba/players/1231870/marc-gasol/) superior play and fit with the incumbent roster. ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski reported after the deal that the Lakers hope to re-sign Hachimura after the season. [Rui Hachimura](/nba/players/2268082/rui-hachimura/) trade the [Los Angeles Lakers](https://www.cbssports.com/nba/teams/LAL/los-angeles-lakers/) made on Monday was the relatively meager price.

For the game, eight-time NBA All-Star Anthony Davis is on the injury report, but he is listed as questionable. Via Mike Trudell of Spectrum SportsNet: "Anthony ...

Lakers star big man Anthony Davis will return to the lineup Wednesday vs. He will be back in the lineup 5 1/2 weeks after suffering a fractured bone spur and stress reaction in his right foot" It’s the first time he hasn’t been ruled out ahead of the game since he hurt his foot on Dec.

Anthony Davis has been out for nearly six weeks while dealing with a foot injury.

Wednesday is a good day to get back in the win column against the 14-33 tanking San Antonio Spurs, but having LeBron in the lineup would be a huge help. As of ...

Moreover, [Lonnie Walker IV, who hasn't played since December 28, has been upgraded to questionable](https://www.si.com/nba/lakers/news/lonnie-walkers-status-upgraded-ahead-of-wednesdays-matchup-against-spurs-ak1987). LeBron [put in an otherworldly 46 points, eight rebounds and seven assists](https://www.si.com/nba/lakers/news/lakers-news-lebron-james-makes-scoring-history-tuesday-against-clippers-nc2000) on 16/29 shooting from the field and a career-high 9/14 shooting from deep. As of now, he's currently questionable to play with the left ankle soreness he's been dealing with all season long.

LeBron James' incredible performance couldn't stop the Los Angeles Lakers from slumping to another defeat.

James and the 22-26 Lakers are next in action against the San Antonio Spurs on Wednesday night. His dysfunctional Lakers team received a new recruit in Rui Hachimura - and the Japanese star will need to hit the ground running. While the Lakers have struggled for much of the 2022/23 season, James continues to perform and he put on another showcase.

The Los Angeles Lakers made a trade for Washington Wizards forward Rui Hachimua, and Golden State Warriors forward Draymond Green applauded the move on a ...

On Rui as a player, Green added, "The Rui trade is very good for the Lakers because any time you can get length and athleticism, it's always helpful. I think Kendrick Nunn is going to go to Washington and rediscover the Kendrick Nunn that we saw in Miami... "I actually think Kendrick Nunn is going to go to Washington and play well.

As for the Lakers, they will be without Scotty Pippen Jr., Austin Reaves and Cole Swider. Lonnie Walker IV, LeBron James and Anthony Davis are all listed as ...

At home, the Lakers have a 12-12 record in the 24 games they have hosted in Los Angeles, California. Meanwhile, the Lakers are the 13th seed in the Western Conference with a 22-26 record in 48 games. [Los Angeles Lakers](https://www.si.com/nba/team/los-angeles-lakers) are hosting the [San Antonio Spurs](https://www.si.com/nba/team/san-antonio-spurs) in California.

For the game, they will have one of their best players back in action, as head coach Darvin Ham revealed that Anthony Davis will play. Via Mike Trudell of ...

This will be the fourth time the Lakers have played the Spurs this season, and they have already beaten them three times (twice in San Antonio and once in Los Angeles). The Lakers are 22-26 in 48 games, but they are only 2.5 games out of the sixth seed (the final guaranteed playoff spot). [Los Angeles Lakers](https://www.si.com/nba/team/los-angeles-lakers) are hosting the San Antonio Spurs in California.

The Lakers (22-26) complete their back-to-back tonight with a visit from the San Antonio Spurs (14-33). The game begins at 7:30 p.m. PST and will b...

Prior to his injury, Davis was on the shortlist of MVP candidates and playing some of the best ball of his career. Still, Rui’s greatest contribution to the Lakers may be on the defensive end, where his stature gives the team a needed boost in size, which allows them to more properly align matchups. They also employ the services of sharpshooter Doug McDermott (42.1% from 3) and 7-foot-1 efficient center Jakob Poeltl. And, of course, the sports world continues to count down as he’s just 178 points away from eclipsing Kareem Abdul-Jabbar as the NBA’s scoring king. He dropped 46 points, giving him a 40-point game against every team in the league, and contributed eight rebounds and seven assists. The Lakers (22-26) complete their back-to-back tonight with a visit from the San Antonio Spurs (14-33).

Davis hasn't come off the bench in a game since 2013-14, his second season in the league with New Orleans.

[Thomas Bryant](https://theathletic.com/nba/player/thomas-bryant-dq4B2s0HiwRTR3cB/), who stepped up in Davis’ absence, averaging 15.5 points and 9.4 rebounds. [New Orleans](https://theathletic.com/nba/team/pelicans/). Ham has hinted he’ll try more lineups with Bryant and Davis together, which could push James and Hachimura to small forward more often, forming a bigger and more physically imposing frontline (while limiting the use of the Lakers’ three-guard lineups, which have struggled). But the Lakers’ coaching staff is going to have a lot to figure out over the next few games. Davis will be eased in with a minutes restriction in the 20-to-24-minute range. His return comes at a pivotal time for the Lakers, as they’re just 1.5 games out of the Play-In Tournament and 2.5 games out of the playoffs.

Lakers star Anthony Davis, out the past 5½ weeks with a foot injury, will return Wednesday night and come off the bench for the first time in nearly a ...

All told, Davis has been a substitute in only five out of the 629 games he has played in his career. 18, 2013, in Los Angeles against the He will be on a minutes restriction in the 20-24 minute range, sources told ESPN.

Los Angeles Lakers superstar LeBron James dropping 46 points on Tuesday night against the Los Angeles Clippers, but it was still a blowout loss.

But no one has come close to averaging his 27.4 points and 12.1 rebounds per game in his 25 contests this season. They will face the San Antonio Spurs at home. For example, just one other starter, center Thomas Bryant, totaled double-digit points with 15. [the Clippers](https://www.foxnews.com/category/sports/nba/los-angeles-clippers) won, 133-115. [CLICK HERE FOR MORE SPORTS COVERAGE ON FOXNEWS.COM](https://www.foxnews.com/sports) [his Lakers](https://www.foxnews.com/category/sports/nba/los-angeles-lakers) are only 22-26, and it might be getting to him a bit.

Anthony Davis scored 21 points, LeBron James had 20 as the Lakers bounced back with a 113-104 win over the Spurs on Wednesday at Crypto.com Arena.

He finished with 12 points, six rebounds and was a team-best plus-17 in 22 minutes. The first field goal was a swished three-pointer. Davis took a scary-looking fall near midcourt at the end of the third quarter. “I thought he looked good,” Lakers coach Darvin Ham said after the win. “We have a video playbook that he has full access to, that he’s been using, looking at. He landed awkwardly on his right foot after a shot challenge by Zach Collins. He scored 21 points in 26 minutes to go with four blocks and 12 rebounds. We’ve also physically, manually put him through some scripting. He added a finish near the rim, a silky turnaround jumper and a two-handed dunk before the end of the first half. Ham said he wanted Davis to come off the bench so he’d be available under his minutes limit at the close of the game and that he was comfortable with Davis’ recovery. That was a huge relief.” “...

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Anthony Davis scored 21 points in his return from a right foot injury, LeBron James added 20 and the Los Angeles Lakers bounced bac...

Spurs: Dropped to 3-6 in the first game of a back-to-back. Lakers: Improved to 4-4 on second game of a back-to-back. ... Collins received a Flagrant 1 with 0.2 seconds remaining in the third quarter when Davis tried a 3-pointer from halfcourt. ... San Antonio’s largest lead was 10 with 8:33 remaining in the second quarter. We need to work on everything that we need to shore up and that’s a lot of different areas. Davis did give the fans at Crypto.com Arena a slight scare at the end of the third quarter when he went down while being fouled on a 3-point attempt near midcourt. Davis was a little tentative his first couple minutes back on the floor. It definitely helped as the forward had six points during a fourth-quarter run when the Lakers took control. He was 7 of 15 from the field and also had 12 rebounds in 26 minutes for his 19th double-double in 26 games played this season. “I was testing the waters at first,“ Davis said. 16 game at Denver, came in with 4:22 remaining in the first quarter. We just wanted to get guys in there,” Lakers coach Darvin Ham said.

Anthony Davis scores 21 points in his return from a right foot injury and Rui Hachimura adds 12 in his Lakers debut -- both off the bench.

We need to work on everything that we need to shore up and that’s a lot of different areas. It definitely helped as the forward had six points during a fourth-quarter run when the Lakers took control. Davis did give the fans at Crypto.com Arena a slight scare at the end of the third quarter when he went down while being fouled on a 3-point attempt near midcourt. “I was testing the waters at first,” Davis said. Davis was a little tentative his first couple minutes back on the floor. He was 7 of 15 from the field and also had 12 rebounds in 26 minutes for his 19th double-double in 26 games played this season.

Anthony Davis scored 21 points in his return from a right foot injury and Rui Hachimura added 12 in his Lakers debut as they bounced back from a rough loss to ...

Spurs: Dropped to 3-6 in the first game of a back-to-back. Lakers: Improved to 4-4 on second game of a back-to-back. ... Collins received a Flagrant 1 with 0.2 seconds remaining in the third quarter when Davis tried a 3-pointer from halfcourt. ... San Antonio's largest lead was 10 with 8:33 remaining in the second quarter. We need to work on everything that we need to shore up and that’s a lot of different areas. Davis did give the fans at Crypto.com Arena a slight scare at the end of the third quarter when he went down while being fouled on a 3-point attempt near midcourt. It definitely helped as the forward had six points during a fourth-quarter run when the Lakers took control. Davis was a little tentative his first couple minutes back on the floor. He was 7 of 15 from the field and also had 12 rebounds in 26 minutes for his 19th double-double in 26 games played this season. 16 game at Denver, came in with 4:22 remaining in the first quarter. “I was testing the waters at first," Davis said. We just wanted to get guys in there,” Lakers coach Darvin Ham said.

Patrick Beverley scored a season-high 18 and Rui Hachimura added 12 in his Lakers debut. Keldon Johnson had 25 points and Zach Collins scored 16 for San Antonio ...

Spurs: Dropped to 3-6 in the first game of a back-to-back. Lakers: Improved to 4-4 on second game of a back-to-back. ... Collins received a Flagrant 1 with 0.2 seconds remaining in the third quarter when Davis tried a 3-pointer from halfcourt. ... San Antonio's largest lead was 10 with 8:33 remaining in the second quarter. We need to work on everything that we need to shore up and that’s a lot of different areas. Davis did give the fans at Crypto.com Arena a slight scare at the end of the third quarter when he went down while being fouled on a 3-point attempt near midcourt. It definitely helped as the forward had six points during a fourth-quarter run when the Lakers took control. Davis was a little tentative his first couple minutes back on the floor. He was 7 of 15 from the field and also had 12 rebounds in 26 minutes for his 19th double-double in 26 games played this season. 16 game at Denver, came in with 4:22 remaining in the first quarter. “I was testing the waters at first," Davis said. We just wanted to get guys in there,” Lakers coach Darvin Ham said.