Winners and losers from Los Angeles Lakers preseason
By Kyle Delaney
Lakers preseason winner: Rui Hachimura
Rui Hachimura impressed the Los Angeles Lakers fans this preseason. He played in every game and cracked the starting lineup three times. If he wasn't starting, Hachimura would make all the difference off the bench. In fact, he helped the Lakers push past a healthy Brooklyn Nets squad, winning 129-126. Hachimura led the team in scoring with 19 points.
The power forward also showed signs of improvement from 3-point range. On three occasions, Hachimura shot 40 percent or better from beyond the arc. All in all, Hachimura averaged 10.5 points and 4 rebounds for the Lakers this preseason.
According to The Athletic's Jovan Buha, Hachimura is one of the nine rotational locks for the Lakers. Rest assured, he'll get touches this season even if he's coming off the bench with Taurean Prince getting the starting nod. Without a doubt, Hachimura's aggression on offense could have a big impact on the Lakers' success this season.