Training camp for the 2023-24 NBA season is slowly but surely approaching. While there is plenty of time before it begins, it’s time for players to start ramping up their training and preparation.
That’s especially true for the Los Angeles Lakers, who are hoping to win their 18th world championship next summer. They magically remade what was a broken roster in January and February, and now they’re aiming for the sky rather than just trying to tread water.
One player that helped them remake their roster is Rui Hachimura. He arrived in a late January trade, and despite playing inconsistently during the regular season, he came up big in L.A.’s unexpected playoff run to the Western Conference finals.
Armed with a new contract, Hachimura should focus on these three goals to help the Lakers win it all this season.
Become a consistently good 3-point shooter
In 33 regular-season games with the Lakers, Hachimura made 29.6% of his 3-point attempts. But in 16 playoff games, that figure jumped to 48.7%, even though his volume of attempts remained largely the same (2.2 a game in the regular season with L.A. versus 2.4 a game in the playoffs).
His 3-point accuracy has fluctuated in his NBA career. During the 2021-22 season, he was at 44.7%. The Lakers cannot have his outside shooting accuracy be that inconsistent.
Hachimura doesn’t need to become a 40% 3-point shooter, but a figure in the high 30s would be very strong for him.
Defensive consistency
At 6-foot-8 and 230 pounds and possessing a 7-foot-2 wingspan, Hachimura seems to have the tools needed to become a very good defender. But over the years, his defensive prowess has come and gone.
Yet in the Western Conference finals, he did a good job of hounding the Denver Nuggets’ Nikola Jokic, allowing Anthony Davis to play free safety and provide help defense on Denver’s superstar.
Head coach Darvin Ham demands consistent defensive effort from his players, and an improvement in that category from Hachimura would be very welcome.
Drop the offensive passivity
Although Hachimura had a number of strong performances in the playoffs, all too often, especially during the regular season, he appeared passive on offense.
He would stand stationary near the 3-point line and merely look for a kick-out pass rather than move and look to get the ball in his sweet spots in the midrange area or near the basket.
The Lakers need to make the effort more often to make the forward an active participant in their set offense and take advantage of his potent skills.
