Lakers predicted to trade Rui Hachimura, picks for elite 17 point-per-game 6th man

The Los Angeles Lakers are pretty satisfied with their current roster. The Lakers' free agency moves sured up a few of their lineup gaps, and they are entering next season revamped and ready to compete for a championship. Still, Lakers trade rumors persist, as the Lakers' front office has indicated they won’t be satisfied until the roster is perfect. 

One gap on the Lakers roster, however, is a ball-handling guard. Luka Doncic will take most of those duties, but having a sixth man who can help run the offense would be a nice addition. 

One Lakers trade idea would land the team a perfect player to fill that gap. 

Sacramento Kings Receive: Rui Hachimura, 2031 Los Angeles Lakers first-round pick, 2032 Los Angeles Lakers second-round pick

Malik Monk would be a great addition to the Lakers' roster. However, giving up their first-round pick and Rui Hachimura to get him might be a difficult pill to swallow. Hachimura helps give the Lakers some much needed defense and size, the two main things Monk lacks. 

The real sticker here is giving up the 2031 first-round pick. There are going to be a ton of players interested in joining the Lakers in the upcoming years. With Luka Doncic locked in for the foreseeable future, the Lakers project to be contenders for a while. That’s why holding onto that 2031 first-round pick is so important. 

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If a bigger name wants to join Luka in LA, the Lakers may need to use that pick to sweeten a potential trade package. That’s why we don’t love this Lakers trade idea. While Monk would be a nice fit, he isn’t worth getting rid of Rui’s skillset and some of the team’s best trade assets. 

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