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The Los Angeles Lakers made headlines last week after bringing in Rui Hachimura from the Washington Wizards. Hachimura became the first Japanese international to play for the Lakers. While a majority of the fans and analysts have hailed this move, some have criticized the Lakers’ decision. Interestingly, Lakers legend Shaquille O’Neal happens to be one of the numerous personalities to bash Hachimura’s move.

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On the latest episode of his podcast, Shaq was asked to give his thoughts on Hachimura. He ranted about the whole move and also said, “I ain’t never heard of him” while talking about Hachimura.

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Shaquille O’Neal had some harsh words for the latest Lakers star

The Los Angeles Lakers have struggled with injuries and depth issues for the past couple of seasons. Rui Hachimura joined the Lakers from the Washington Wizards to add much-needed depth and size to the wings.

Kendrick Nunn and three second-round picks were offered to the Wizards in order to land Hachimura. Safe to say, the Japanese international has already garnered some haters.

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Talking on The Big Podcast with Shaq, the former NBA champion didn’t seem too happy with the Lakers’ decision to trade Kendrick Nunn. Additionally, he also said that he had never heard of Hachimura before this move.

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Shaq said, “I mean we gave up Kendrick Nunn when he doesn’t even do nothing. My Lakers, we are all about winning championships, I don’t even know who that is. One that impresses me is Bradley Beal, you wanna impress me? That’s all I got I don’t even know who the f**k that is.”

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READ MORE: “Do Your Job and Stop Being a Casual”: Amid Kevin Durant Beef, ‘Embarrassing’ Shaquille O’Neal Gets Called Out for Latest Dig

Shaq’s controversial take on Hachimura was criticized by Brooklyn Nets superstar Kevin Durant on Twitter a few days ago. This led to a small back-and-forth between the two former champions on Twitter.

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A Lakers star was unhappy with Hachimura’s trade

Dennis Schroder was live on his stream when the Hachimura deal was officially announced. The Lakers star didn’t seem too happy with the deal and was surprised that Kendrick Nunn was traded.

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He said, “Wait, for Kendrick Nunn?”. Shortly after, Schroder messaged Nunn and said, “It’s crazy man. NBA is a business. Insane.” Although Schroder and others might not be happy with the trade, Hachimura’s addition to the squad gives life to a thin Lakers’ roster.

WATCH THIS STORY: Kobe Bryant, Dwight Howard—all the coaches and players Shaquille O’Neal had feuds with

What are your predictions for the Lakers this season? Let us know in the comments down below.

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Written by

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Abhinava Ghosh

1,823 Articles

Abhinava Ghosh is an NBA writer at EssentiallySports with a wealth of experience covering the league. He has written over 1400 articles for EssentiallySports, showcasing his expertise in analyzing and reporting on NBA trade rumors, injury updates, and the ever-changing dynamics of the league. He had successfully covered the entire Kevin Durant trade saga at Brooklyn, which led to the basketball legend’s move to the Desert. He also kept our readers updated on the Brittney Griner situation throughout her exile in Russia. One of Abhinava's proudest moments came in 2015 when the Golden State Warriors won the NBA title after 40 years. As a lifelong fan of the Dubs, Abhinava was thrilled to see his team reach the pinnacle of the sport, but he remained objective and professional in his reporting.

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