The Lakers and Wizards discussed the Rui Hachimura trade for several days before reaching an agreement, with the level of draft compensation serving as the primary sticking point, per Jovan Buha of The Athletic.
According to Jake Fischer of Yahoo Sports, the Lakers were originally exploring the trade market to see what they could get for Kendrick Nunn and two second-round picks, and could have landed Knicks forward Cam Reddish for such a package. However, Los Angeles preferred Hachimura and ultimately reached a compromise with the Wizards – who originally sought a first-round pick for the former lottery selection – by adding a third second-rounder.
Hachimura is expected to command an eight-figure annual salary as a free agent, sources tell Buha, and Fischer has heard similar rumblings, writing that the current expectation is that the forward’s price will be around $10M per year. That figure could increase though if Hachimura emerges as the Lakers’ third-best player behind LeBron James and Anthony Davis down the stretch though, Fischer acknowledges.
Either way, if the Lakers hope to re-sign Hachimura, which sounds like the plan, his new deal will significantly cut into the cap room they’ll be able to create this summer.
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