The Los Angeles Lakers are not extending Rui Hachimura, and they do not need to meet in a boardroom to figure it out. His contract is too valuable as it is, and the team wants to keep flexibility for bigger moves down the line.
Los Angeles will prioritize flexibility over Rui Hachimura extension
Hachimura’s current expiring deal makes him one of the Lakers’ most useful trade chips. Locking him into a long-term contract now would remove that flexibility just when they might need it most. It is not about his play; it is about what the Lakers can do with him.