What happened to Rui Hachimura? Latest update on Lakers' forward following nose surgery

LA Lakers forward Rui Hachimura has undergone a procedure to repair a nasal fracture following an injury sustained during their game against the Dallas Mavericks on Wednesday, the team announced. He will be reevaluated by team doctors in approximately one week.

This is another setback for the Lakers, who have already been dealing with several early-season injuries to their roster. Hachimura played in 12 games this season, averaging 11.8 points, the third-highest scoring average in his career.

According to the UK’s National Health Service website, a broken nose typically heals naturally within three weeks.

The severity of Rui Hachimura’s injury remains unclear, and more updates will be given once he is reevaluated next week.

The Lakers have faced player shortages throughout the season, with Jarred Vanderbilt out for the entire duration so far and Gabe Vincent sidelined for a substantial portion of the season. The injury to Hachimura widens the gap in the Lakers’ frontcourt.

Only three Lakers players have been healthy and available for all 16 games: D’Angelo Russell, Austin Reaves and Christian Wood.

The Lakers have been erratic at the start of the season. They have been on two three-game winning streaks and one three-game losing streak.

Currently holding the seventh seed in the Western Conference with a 9-7 record, the Lakers are gearing up for a four-game road trip against the Cleveland Cavaliers, Philadelphia 76ers, Detroit Pistons and the Oklahoma City Thunder. After the road stretch, they will return home to take on the Houston Rockets.

Eleven of the Lakers’ next 15 games are scheduled to be played on the road.

Looking at Rui Hachimura’s career as a Laker so far

Last season, the Lakers acquired Rui Hachimura in a midseason trade, and he contributed to the team’s success by playing in 33 regular-season games, averaging 9.6 ppg and 4.7 rpg to help the team in its playoff push after being in the 12th position in the Western Conference at the time of the trade.

Hachimura’s performance escalated in the playoffs, where he averaged 12.2 ppg and showcased an impressive 48.7% shooting accuracy from beyond the arc. In his first playoff game as a Laker, he set a franchise record with 29 points off the bench, which included five 3-pointers, securing a Game 1 victory over the Memphis Grizzlies in the first round.

The Lakers signed Hachimura to a three-year, $51 million deal this past offseason.