Rui Hachimura Expected to be Starter Despite Christian Wood’s Signing

Key Takeaways:

• Despite the signing of Christian Wood, Rui Hachimura is anticipated to start in the Lakers’ frontcourt for the 2023-24 season.
• Wood is expected to be the primary backup center, occasionally sharing the floor with Anthony Davis in two-big lineups.
• The Lakers’ updated roster reflects their offseason moves.

Rui Hachimura Set to Start for Lakers

In a surprising development, it appears that Rui Hachimura is poised to be the starting frontcourt player for the Los Angeles Lakers in the upcoming 2023-24 NBA season. This decision comes on the heels of the recent signing of Christian Wood.

OFFICIAL: Christian Wood – Los Angeles Laker. pic.twitter.com/9F82LoZcY2

— Los Angeles Lakers (@Lakers) September 6, 2023

Jovan Buha of The Athletic has reported that, based on team sources, the early expectation is that Christian Wood will assume a role coming off the bench. Meanwhile, Rui Hachimura is the likely choice to join forces with LeBron James and Anthony Davis in the Lakers’ frontcourt lineup. At a minimum, Christian Wood is expected to be the primary backup center, and there will be instances of him playing alongside Anthony Davis in two-big lineups. Wood’s playing time is estimated to average around 20 minutes per game when the team is at full strength.

That one time Christian Wood demolished Rui Hachimura 😮

Those quick, fluid movements on the perimeter into the explosive dunk… pic.twitter.com/fhfe73m6aD

— Lakers Legacy (@LakersLegacyPod) September 6, 2023

Lakers’ Updated Roster

The Lakers’ roster for the upcoming season reflects their offseason moves:

Point Guards (PG): D’Angelo Russell, Gabe Vincent, Jalen Hood-Schifino
Shooting Guards (SG): Austin Reaves, Max Christie
Small Forwards (SF): LeBron James, Cam Reddish, Taurean Prince, Maxwell Lewis
Power Forwards (PF): Rui Hachimura, Jarred Vanderbilt
Centers (C): Anthony Davis, Christian Wood, Jaxson Hayes
The Lakers’ roster has seen significant changes, and the addition of Christian Wood has added depth and versatility to their frontcourt.

After initially going unsigned in the early stages of free agency, Christian Wood eventually agreed to a two-year, $5.7 million contract with the Lakers, including a player option for the 2024-25 season, as reported by ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski. This signing is expected to bring further dynamics to the Lakers’ lineup as they prepare for the upcoming season.