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Despite being fired by the LA Lakers, ex-assistant coach Phil Handy recently shared photos working out with Lakers forward Rui Hachimura, highlighting their tight bond.
Handy and the rest of former LA head coach Darvin Ham's coaching staff were let go on May 3, following the franchise's first-round playoff exit. Per the Los Angeles Times' Dan Woike, the Lakers wanted to "clean the slate" for their next coach.
They ultimately hired former NBA sharpshooter JJ Redick on Thursday, who landed the position despite having no prior NBA coaching experience.
However, Handy seemingly hasn't taken his dismissal too hard, as on Thursday, he shared pictures chronicling his latest training sessions with Hachimura. In his caption, the veteran coach touched on the importance of maintaining close relationships with his players, regardless of his job status.
"Keep the main thing the main thing! Never switch up on your relationships," Handy said.
Handy has worked closely with Hachimura since he was acquired from the Washington Wizards before last year's trade deadline. The fifth-year forward took a noticeable leap this past season, averaging 13.6 points per game on a career-best 53.7% shooting over 68 outings.
Naturally, Handy's recent workouts with Hachimura sparked fan speculation about his potential return to LA.
So far, there's been no indication the three-time NBA champion will be named to Redick's new Lakers coaching staff. Nonetheless, it appears Handy's relationship with Hachimura is as strong as ever as the Japanese forward prepares for Year 6.
Lakers not "actively shopping" Rui Hachimura amid offseason trade rumors
While Rui Hachimura is still a Laker, his name has frequently been mentioned in trade rumors since LA's brief postseason run concluded. However, according to The Athletic's Jovan Buha, that is primarily due to the relatively affordable three-year, $51 million contract he signed last offseason.
On his podcast "Buha's Block" late last month, a fan asked Buha if the Lakers were "actively shopping" Hachimura or just gauging his trade value. Buha noted he will likely only be dealt if a blockbuster trade occurs which lands LA another star alongside superstars LeBron James and Anthony Davis.
“This is a bit of a tricky one to answer because I don’t think the Lakers are actively shopping Rui or actively looking to trade him," Buha said. "It’s just, if you look at their cap sheet and look at who are the tradeable guys, it’s really Rui, [Jarred Vanderbilt], Austin [Reaves], [D'Angelo Russell]—if he opts in—and Gabe [Vincent].
"The midsize contracts, those are the contracts that you cobble together to acquire another star, or you cobble together to acquire another high-impact role player."
(From 18:50 onward)
Buha added that LA "would love to keep" Reaves most out of all its role players, and "everyone else is movable to an extent."
However, the Lakers seemingly lack the trade assets to land a third star without sacrificing too much depth. Thus, it appears more likely than not that Rui Hachimura will be on their roster to begin next season.
