The Washington Wizards are fully focused on retaining Kyle Kuzma amid what has become a breakout season. His best position being the four spot has displaced Rui Hachimura in the long-term vision of the team’s roster construction efforts, making him a logical candidate to be moved at the NBA trade deadline.
Hachimura’s recent comments have sparked further speculation regarding a possible trade ahead of the Feb. 9 deadline, stating that he wants the chance to play his game, whether it’s for the Wizards or for another NBA organization: “I just got to play my game. I know what I can do, and I can help the team to wins. It’s either here or other teams.”
According to HoopsHype, the Dallas Mavericks and Sacramento Kings are among several teams that have expressed interest in trading for Hachimura.
Several teams have expressed interest in trading for Hachimura, including the Dallas Mavericks and Sacramento Kings, league sources told HoopsHype.
Hachimura is still having a solid season from a production standpoint despite the circumstances. He’s averaged 13.0 points, 4.3 rebounds, and 1.2 assists in 24.3 minutes per game during his 30 games. He’s doing so while shooting 48.8 percent from the floor but just 33.7 percent from 3-point range.
LATEST NBA NEWS & TRADE RUMORS: Rui Hachimura, Washington Wizards, Dallas Mavericks & Sacramento Kings Updates
The Mavericks face the need to take chances on talents needing a change of scenery. With a lack of upside from much of their older supporting cast pieces around Luka Doncic, bringing in players that can offer different looks or greater dynamics is worth the swing. A forward with the ability to put the ball on the floor to score is something Dallas lacks right now.
To be a strong fit with the Mavericks, Hachimura would need to continue to grow as a spot-up shooter. Still, he showed intriguing signs when that’s clicking in his 30-point performance against the Orlando Magic on Saturday — scoring 18 of his points from spot-up plays. He did a lot of damage with pull-ups from inside the arc, but still shot 3-5 from deep and got to the rim with aggression.
The Kings have thrived by maximizing their shooting capabilities around De’Aaron Fox and Domantas Sabonis. It’s unclear if Hachimura would be a fluid fit for their team, given the significant importance of having elite supporting cast production in that regard. Like the Mavericks, Hachimura’s fit would depend on his ability to consistently be a greater threat in spot-up situations.
LATEST NBA NEWS & TRADE RUMORS: Rui Hachimura, Washington Wizards, Dallas Mavericks & Sacramento Kings Updates
As the midseason deadline nears, there will naturally be other teams brought up as possible landing spots for Hachimura. Teams like the Phoenix Suns and Miami Heat could use an option to utilize a four with some ability to generate unassisted offense. He’s proven to be efficient from inside the arc in a variety of helpful ways, which should be appealing.
