Perhaps, in retrospect, it should have been more obvious that LeBron James would gravitate to Rui Hachimura. That when he said of Hachimura’s acquisition that it “feels good to have another 6-8 wing,” he wasn’t just taking a subtle dig at the ’ 2021-2023 roster construction (which he definitely was) but also a sign that he had a true appreciation for Hachimura’s game.
That admiration only grew more obvious in the playoffs, with James setting up and empowering Hachimura as a secondary scorer en route to his three-year, $51 million contract this summer, and has apparently gotten even stronger over the offseason.