Luka Doncic reportedly wanted Rui Hachimura to stay with the Lakers

It appeared for a little while that the Los Angeles Lakers wanted to bring back forward Rui Hachimura on a new contract. But on Monday, he agreed to a two-year, $28 million contract with the Los Angeles Clippers after the two teams couldn't agree on a sign-and-trade deal.

While the Lakers have done a solid job of filling several of their roster needs this summer, they have also lost a good deal of their core from this past season. Hachimura joins LeBron James, Marcus Smart, Luke Kennard and Jaxson Hayes as rotation players who have left the team, and many fans are unhappy.

One Lakers player who may also be unhappy about Hachimura's departure is Luka Doncic. According to Law Murray of The Athletic, Doncic wanted Hachimura to remain with the Purple and Gold.

"I'm told that Rui Hachimura was on the Luka Doncic preferred return list," Murray wrote on X (formerly Twitter).

Murray also noted that the Lakers "wanted more defenders." While Hachimura is an outstanding 3-point shooter and an underrated iso scorer from the mid-range area, he is a poor defender when matched up against opposing wings.

His replacement at power forward, Sandro Mamukelashvili, is a good 3-point shooter in his own right, and while Mamukelashvili isn't a good defender either, he's a more fluid player who can work off the dribble in both transition and halfcourt settings, a better rebounder and a somewhat better passer.

What the Lakers need now is a legitimate starting-level two-way wing or forward who has ample athleticism, and Hachimura doesn't fit that description. They could perhaps continue to pursue Jonathan Kuminga, who still has tantalizing potential, but a few other teams reportedly have interest in him.

This article originally appeared on LeBron Wire: Luka Doncic reportedly wanted Rui Hachimura to stay with the Lakers