Offensive excellent student, defensive poor student? Hachimura s Lakers suspense?

Los Angeles Lakers, this is a team that has been living in the spotlight. Whether it is countless superstars in history or every operation in recent years, it will be infinitely magnified. And now, forward Hachimura is the focus.

When he was sent to the Lakers by the Wizards before the trading deadline, the outside world did not have much expectations, but felt that this was an ordinary forward strengthening. But in just two years, he proved with his stable performance that he could stand on the Lakers, and even played better than many fans expected.

But when his three-year 51 million contract reached its last year, the Lakers and him were reluctant to renew their contract.

The reason is very simple: Hachimura has done well enough, but in the Lakers, it is far from enough to be good enough.

Last season, Hachimura's data was impressive enough. He averaged less than 10 shots per game, but he could shoot 50.9% from the field, 41.3% from three-point shooting percentage, and his real shooting percentage was as high as 59.7%.

And many well-known shooters in the league may not be able to break through 40%. What's even more rare is that Hachimura not only can hit three-pointers from the outside, but also takes into account mid-range and ending at the basket. In other words, he knows very well how to choose the opportunity to shoot, not grab the ball, nor pursue high usage rates.

In a team like the Lakers, James and Doncic attract most of the defensive attention, and Hachimura can become the most reliable contact point. His presence is like a team lubricant, ensuring the team's smooth offensive.

From an offensive perspective, Hachimura has indeed done well enough. But the stability of the offensive end cannot cover up his defensive end.

The Lakers expect Hachimura to become a forward with both offense and defense, but the fact is that his defense has been considered as not to be a drag. He is 203 in height and 218 in wingspan. His body size data is not outstanding in the small forward position. In addition, he is not well positioned as a high-level defender at the core of his single defense.

The problem can also be revealed from the data:

Hachimura's defensive efficiency was 117 last season, even worse than James at the age of 40. Although this is related to the overall lineup configuration of the Lakers, it is at least sufficient to show that Hachimura has not yet established a real defensive influence.

When the Lakers encounter a strong forward, will the coach dare to let Hachimura guard? The answer is obvious. As a result, his future role will inevitably become blurred. As a starting striker, his defensive shortcomings will be magnified; and as a substitute rotation, his salary seems too expensive.

This positioning of being neither up nor down is the reason why the Lakers have been waiting and watching for a long time to renew their contract.

The Lakers' salary space is already tight. From Davis to James to Doncic, the Lakers have maintained more than two star players who have locked out more than 70% of the team's salary space for many years. If Reeves gets another 30 million contract renewal in the future, the Lakers' salary elasticity will basically be completely locked.

In this context, every medium contract must be extra cautious. Hachimura's 18 million contract is not heavy based on his existing output, but the Lakers have no room for him to raise his salary. After all, any contract that exceeds the market may completely lose room for reinforcement.

And this also means that whether Hachimura can renew his contract depends on whether he can grow into a starting striker with both offense and defense in the next two or three years. And if he can only maintain a qualified rotation role at the contact point, then this contract is likely to become useless. In addition to basketball, Hachimura's existence is equally important to the Lakers.

The Lakers changed hands this year. The new boss was the owner of the Los Angeles Dodgers before taking over the Lakers. With Shohei Otani's business case in front of it, it is enough to make people understand the importance of the Asian market. The huge Japanese fan group behind Hachimura is also a huge market that the Lakers are unwilling to give up.

For Hachimura, the Lakers' high-exposure games broadcast across the United States are exactly the best display opportunity for an Asian player, and it also means more personal endorsements and commercial cooperation.

This mutually beneficial relationship is the basis for promoting continued cooperation between the two sides. But the premise is that Yamura needs to show performance that matches its business value on the field.

The upcoming season is a key turning point for Hachimura.

This is the year of Yamura's contract, and it is also the year when he proves that he can be worthy of the expectations of the wealthy family. If he can improve on the defensive end and even maintain efficiency in more ball-holding rounds, he could be a key puzzle on the Lakers' championship. On the contrary, if he is still an efficient shooter, it is not ruled out that he will be put on the trading shelves.

Previously, Hachimura had proved that he could play value with James and Doncic. But he has not proved that he can help the Lakers lift the championship trophy. In an environment like the Lakers, passing may not be enough. The expectations of fans and management are clear, and he must do better.

After all, this is in Los Angeles, only better, no better.