The Washington Wizards are in the middle of yet another uninspiring season; ever since their last postseason berth in 2018 with the John Wall and Bradley Beal-led core, they have made the postseason just once, a miracle second-half turnaround that culminated in a play-in tournament triumph. Even with that small consolation thanks to Russell Westbrook's incredible triple-double binge, the Wizards have not finished above .500 since 2018.
And a big factor for that may be their inability to draft a franchise-altering talent in the draft. Since 2019, the Wizards have not picked below 15th and yet they have only Rui Hachimura, Deni Avdija, Corey Kispert, and, perhaps most egregiously, Johnny Davis to show for it. Make no mistake, some of them are solid, young pieces. However, no one in particular has stood out among those four, and amid the Wizards' logjam at the forward positions, some of those players may have to give way.
Rui Hachimura, in particular, could be the first to go, given his proximity to free agency. And for the Wizards' part, they appear willing to move the 24-year old combo forward in a potential trade with the trade deadline fast approaching. In fact, the Wizards prefer to keep Kyle Kuzma and Kristaps Porzingis instead even though they will be unrestricted free agents, unlike Hachimura.
What exactly has gone wrong for Hachimura in Washington? Simply put, there have been two many mouths to feed in D.C. The Wizards have then relegated him to a role off the bench after he started every game in his first two seasons. Nonetheless, for a team looking for a young combo forward with immense scoring potential, they could do a lot worse than trading for Hachimura.
Here are three teams that could benefit from buying low on Hachimura in a potential trade.
Phoenix Suns
It's no secret that the Suns, currently in the middle of a tumble down the NBA standings thanks to the injuries to Devin Booker and Chris Paul, are in dire need of offensive help. Throughout their rough 12-game stretch, they have ranked dead last in the NBA in points scored per 100 possessions. That is simply not good enough for a team with lofty playoff aspirations.
Acquiring Rui Hachimura in a trade wouldn't be the catch-all panacea that solves all the Suns' problems. But he could add another dimension to the Suns' offense, even with Cameron Johnson's return imminent. Hachimura, at 6'8, could create his own shot, especially from midrange. Despite his small role off the Wizards bench, he is still averaging 13.8 points per game on 48 percent shooting from the field. The Suns know of his scoring ability firsthand – he scored a season high 30 points on 11-13 shooting against them on December 28, unambiguously his best game of the season.
There is a quality player within Hachimura, that's for sure. Perhaps what he needs is a more healthy, winning environment than the one in Washington for him to develop into a two-way scoring force.
With his role in Washington as small as it has ever been, he can definitely be had for cheap. And he may very well be worth whatever the Wizards' realistic asking price may be.
Charlotte Hornets
The Hornets have felt the loss of Miles Bridges – last season's leading scorer – immensely. Bridges may or may not be guilty of questionable acts off the court, but there's no secret that his presence on the court contributed to the Hornets' 43-win 2021-22 campaign. Simply unable to replace his contributions, the Hornets have gone 12-34 thus far, with LaMelo Ball's injury problems making matters worse for Charlotte.
But what if the Hornets bridge the Bridges-sized gap in their lineup with a trade for Rui Hachimura?
Hachimura could fill the Hornets' void at combo forward, and he could prove to be an even better scorer than Bridges if ever he rounds out his game even further. With the Hornets going nowhere fast, they could do a whole lot worse than buy low on prospects who have lost their luster in the hopes of bringing out a keeper hidden somewhere within.
And with Ball around to make his life easier, the Hornets could very well be the team that brings out the best in the Japanese international.
Indiana Pacers
Speaking of teams with gaping holes in their lineup, the Pacers are definitely in need of a power forward. The Jalen Smith experience, despite showing promise to end last season, just hasn't worked out as well as they had hoped during the 2022-23 campaign. In Smith's place, the Pacers have called upon Aaron Nesmith, a 6'5 forward, to partner with Myles Turner in the frontcourt.
Thus, a trade for Rui Hachimura, a 6'8 forward, could be for the Pacers' best, especially as they try to make that tricky leap from rebuilding to contending.
Hachimura also matches the timeline of the Pacers' core, led by Tyrese Haliburton, Bennedict Mathurin, and Aaron Nembhard. Moreover, the Pacers won't have to worry too much about having to pay him in free agency, given their favorable cap situation. The Pacers should also be able to afford him loads of playing time, with only Nesmith, Oshae Brissett, and Terry Taylor to beat for minutes should he arrive in Indianapolis via trade.