The Los Angeles Lakers' acquisition of former Brooklyn Nets forward Dorian Finney-Smith surprised a lot of people and is expected to have significant ripple effects around the NBA. More trades are likely to go down in the following weeks, more so because the Nets have several more pieces they can use to bring back more assets.
Los Angeles is also probably not done yet. With Finney-Smith in tow, the team now has difficult roster and rotation decisions to make.
It's still unclear what its exact plans are, but it makes sense to deploy the 3-and-D standout in the starting lineup to take on the toughest defensive assignment and space the floor for LeBron James and Anthony Davis. That means Rui Hachimura could be relegated to the bench, where he would have to fight for minutes with Cam Reddish and the soon-returning Jarred Vanderbilt and Christian Wood.
It's worth noting that the Lakers have a hole at center. So, perhaps their next trade partner should be the Charlotte Hornets.
A Hachimura-Richards swap would be beneficial for both teams
One of the players the Hornets could look to ship before the trade deadline is Nick Richards. The center has been productive for the squad, especially during Mark Williams' extended stint on the injury list. However, his time in Charlotte has to come to an end because the team can't hide his weakness anymore. Besides, Moussa Diabate looks ready to take on his role as the backup big.
The Lakers had already been linked to Richards before. And while it appeared unwise for the Hornets to act on the rumored interest at the time, things are vastly different now.
Charlotte needs another potential offensive weapon, and Hachimura might be able to fit the bill. His numbers don't stand out that much, as he is recording just 12.5 points per game this season, a couple of decimal points below his career average. However, his 45.2 percent shooting from 3-point range leads all Lakers players, and his offensive rating of 120 is the highest (tied with Davis) among the starters.
In the event that the Hornets do acquire Hachimura, the coaching staff would have the option of using him in the second unit or putting him in the starting lineup, replacing Josh Green or Miles Bridges. Either way that could help address the club's bench woes.
There are several pathways to a Hachimura-Richards swap, and it would require Charlotte to let go of another player, such as Cody Martin or Grant Williams, to match salaries. That likely wouldn't be a problem for the organization if it meant finding a needed roster reinforcement and a potential cornerstone.