The Golden State Warriors were reportedly one of the teams interested in signing Rui Hachimura in free agency. He could have been a big part of their rotation, but instead, he ended up signing a two-year, $28 million deal with the LA Clippers, leaving the Los Angeles Lakers. While he would have been a good piece for the Warriors, his not joining them could actually be a blessing in disguise for rookie Yaxel Lendeborg.
Lendeborg won Summer League MVP and looks like the type of player who should be able to contribute immediately at the NBA level. Had Hachimura signed on board, he and the rookie likely would have been competing for at least some of the same minutes. Without Hachimura, Lendeborg should get thrown into the deep end right away.
Hachimura and Lendeborg would have been a nice forward duo, but now, it will be left up to Lendeborg to hold things down right alongside Draymond Green.
Rui Hachimura joining Clippers should open up even more responsibilities for Yaxel Lendeborg
Lendeborg is going to enter the NBA at 23 years old, and before the season even begins, he’ll turn 24. He’s one of the oldest rookies in his draft class, and it shows when he steps foot on the court.
He just knows how to play. Little things. The way he moves with and without the ball. His defense against even the best players. He should slot in nicely to the Warriors’ current rotation.
There’s even a chance the Warriors could decide to start him at the small forward spot, with the rest of the lineup consisting of something like Stephen Curry, Brandin Podziemski, Green, and Kristaps Porzingis.
Had Hachimura joined the squad, they could have used him as the small forward. His three-point shot would have been very valuable to Golden State.
He would have spaced the floor for Curry and the rest of the squad. Having both him and Porzingis in the lineup would have been a huge three-point shooting boost.
But Hachimura didn’t join the Warriors. He chose the Clippers over offers from them, the Minnesota Timberwolves, the Brooklyn Nets, and the San Antonio Spurs.
That should mean the Warriors will have to depend on Lendeborg even more. He was always going to be a huge part of what the Warriors want to do, but now, he’s going to be thrown into even more big-moment situations.
Hachimura signing with the Clippers could end up being great for Lendeborg’s NBA development in the near term and the long term.
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