{"id":57325,"date":"2025-04-29T23:35:15","date_gmt":"2025-04-29T23:35:15","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/new365.azontree.com\/?p=57325"},"modified":"2025-04-29T23:35:15","modified_gmt":"2025-04-29T23:35:15","slug":"news-update-lakers-swaps-rui-hachimura-for-lukas-lob-threat-in-proposed-trade","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/new365.azontree.com\/?p=57325","title":{"rendered":"NEWS UPDATE: Lakers Swaps Rui Hachimura for Luka\u2019s Lob Threat in Proposed Trade"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"Rui<\/p>\n

It\u2019s no secret that the Los Angeles Lakers\u2018 biggest problem is their lack of big, evidently exposed in the first round against the Minnesota Timberwolves, who have seized a 3-1 series lead after a 116-113 win in Game 4 on Sunday.<\/p>\n

Bleacher Report\u2019s Andy Bailey proposed an offseason trade that will solve the Lakers\u2019 woes and make them more competitive for next season.<\/p>\n

Bailey\u2019s trade proposal:<\/strong><\/p>\n

Los Angeles Lakers receive: Nicolas Claxton<\/em><\/p>\n

Brooklyn Nets receive: Rui Hachimura, Maxi Kleber, a 2028 first-round pick swap and a 2030 first-round pick swap<\/p>\n

\u201cNic Claxton offers rim protection and the kind of lob threat that Luka Don\u010di\u0107 has gotten so much over the years, without totally sacrificing what makes the small-ball lineups interesting. For a center, he\u2019s solid at moving his feet and covering perimeter players,\u201d Bailey wrote.<\/p>\n

Kleber was only a throw-in in the Don\u010di\u0107-Anthony Davis trade. If the Lakers send Hachimura out in this deal, they must re-sign Dorian Finney-Smith first to an extension. Otherwise, trading away Hachimura with Finney-Smith walking this offseason will only create another problem for the Lakers.<\/p>\n

\u201cFor the Brooklyn Nets, this gives a rebuilding team two expiring contracts that can be moved next season, but more importantly, it presents two shots at moving up in future drafts,\u201d Bailey wrote.<\/p>\n

It\u2019s hard to imagine the Nets will not ask for the Lakers\u2019 2031 first-round pick, which they readily offered in the rescinded Mark Williams trade.<\/p>\n

Nic Claxton Plays Better With Stars<\/strong><\/p>\n

Claxton\u2019s numbers may have dipped this season \u2014 10.3 points, 7.4 rebounds, 2.2 assists and 1.4 blocks \u2014 as the Nets tanked for the draft lottery, but he has the potential to become one of the elite centers in the league in a better environment.<\/p>\n

The 6-foot-11 rim-running center was at his best when he played alongside two future NBA Hall of Famers Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving.<\/p>\n

In their final season together in 2022-23 in Brooklyn, Claxton averaged 12.6 points, 9.2 rebounds and a career-high 2.5 blocks per game. He also shot a career-best 70.5% from the field, feasting on lobs from the Nets\u2019 former stars.<\/p>\n

Playing with Don\u010di\u0107, Austin Reaves and presumably LeBron James, who has a player option for next season, will undoubtedly revitalize Claxton, who will feast inside with lobs coming from everywhere.<\/p>\n

Lack of Center Forced JJ Redick to Unprecedented Decision<\/strong><\/p>\n

After the Lakers lost Game 3, coach JJ Redick made the blunt admission about their biggest weakness.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe fact is we don\u2019t have quote-unquote rim protection,\u201d Redick told reporters after the loss. \u201cYou give up blow-bys, we\u2019re gonna give up something. We\u2019re gonna give up a three [pointer] or shot at the rim.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

Jaxson Hayes is the Lakers\u2019 lone center on the roster. But he\u2019s only playing 7.5 minutes in the series. In the must-win Game 4, Hayes only saw four minutes as Redick went small-ball for the entire second half.<\/p>\n

Redick\u2019s unprecedented decision to play LeBron James, Don\u010di\u0107, Austin Reaves, Hachimura and Finney-Smith with no relief in the second half came back to haunt them.<\/p>\n

Los Angeles lost steam after entering the fourth quarter with a 10-point lead. Minnesota outscored them 32-19 in the fourth quarter, led by Anthony Edwards\u2018 16 of his game-high 43 points.<\/p>\n

\u201cI felt like they were gassed going down the stretch,\u201d Edwards told reporters. \u201cSo just trying to keep my foot on the pedal and keep going.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

James did not score while Don\u010di\u0107 went 1-for-6 and Reaves 2-for-7 in the final 12 minutes.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

It\u2019s no secret that the Los Angeles Lakers\u2018 biggest problem is their lack of big, evidently exposed in the first round against the Minnesota Timberwolves, who have… <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":57326,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[4],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-57325","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-nba"],"yoast_head":"\nNEWS UPDATE: Lakers Swaps Rui Hachimura for Luka\u2019s Lob Threat in Proposed Trade - News 365<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/new365.azontree.com\/?p=57325\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"NEWS UPDATE: Lakers Swaps Rui Hachimura for Luka\u2019s Lob Threat in Proposed Trade - 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