The Wizards are exploring trade choices for the fourth-year ahead, in line with a number of folks acquainted with the scenario, a improvement first reported by the Athletic on Wednesday.
Standing in a hallway at Capital One Arena after a lopsided win over the Orlando Magic, Hachimura expressed dissatisfaction along with his standing on the staff. Asked whether or not he thinks he will likely be traded, he mentioned: “I guess. I don’t know.”
“I just want to be somewhere that wants me as a basketball player,” he continued. “And I want to be somewhere that loves my — likes my game, you know? … I just want to be somewhere that trusts, believes in me. Just I can be myself — that’s my goal.”
The Wizards drafted Hachimura ninth total in 2019 and began him for all 48 video games he performed his rookie 12 months, which was shortened by accidents. He is averaging 13 factors in his fourth 12 months — down from a career-high 13.8 in his second season — whereas coming off the bench for second-year coach Wes Unseld Jr., whose Wizards are 20-26.
On Saturday, the 24-year-old Hachimura described his season as “up and down.” It started on a excessive notice — he arrived refreshed after lacking the primary half of the 2021-22 season for a psychological well being break after which performed a starring function throughout a two-game preseason showcase in his native Japan, the place the Wizards confronted the Golden State Warriors.
In late November, an ankle sprain and bone bruise stored him out of motion for a month; he missed 16 video games. Since his return Dec. 22, although, Hachimura has been a sparkplug off the bench. Both of his 30-point performances have are available in that span.
“It’s been up and down, I feel like, as a team,” Hachimura mentioned Saturday when asked to explain his season. “Even for me, I had an injury and I had to stay away for like a month. … It was tough for me to come back from the injury and all that. I don’t know. I think we have good pieces, you know, but somehow, someone’s got to put everything together. … Culture, you know? I feel like that’s the one thing I can say. It’s just hard. For all of us, it’s not the place that we want to be. But I think it’s going to be fine.”
Hachimura just isn’t the one Wizards participant whose future is clouded.
Washington has a sophisticated, costly activity forward in retaining its core trio of heart Kristaps Porzingis, ahead Kyle Kuzma and guard Bradley Beal. Porzingis has a $36 million participant possibility for subsequent season, and Kuzma has mentioned he plans to discover free company.
Washington has signaled to different groups that it wish to retain Kuzma, in line with a number of folks acquainted with their plans, however paying him market value might push the Wizards nearer to the posh tax. Owner Ted Leonsis has paid the posh tax simply as soon as since taking full possession of the staff in 2010.
Moving Hachimura would resolve at the very least one drawback for the Wizards: their visitors jam at ahead with Hachimura and Deni Avdija, the ninth decide within the 2020 draft, competing for minutes. Washington deploys a beginning lineup that has Kuzma at small ahead and Porzingis at energy ahead — Hachimura’s pure place.
“[Porzingis] playing more minutes at [power forward] kind of bumps everyone down,” Unseld mentioned Saturday when asked concerning the logjam. “Deni doesn’t get too many minutes at the four — kind of minimizes Kuz’s minutes at the four. So I can see where some of those guys feel a little bit of a squeeze, but now that we’ve gotten whole, it’s whoever we need in the moment — we’re going to call that person.”
That Washington is exploring trades — and that Hachimura seems not opposed to 1 — is unsurprising from each side. They didn’t attain an settlement on a rookie contract extension this fall.
The Wizards’ need to court docket the Japanese fan base that Hachimura introduced alongside when he entered the NBA apparently has dwindled as effectively. Leonsis didn’t make the preseason journey to Japan, the place Hachimura took on the function of cultural tour information and fan favourite. (Leonsis has been a candidate for months to purchase a substantial stake within the Washington Nationals.) Also, Monumental Sports didn’t have a sponsorship deal with Tokyo-based NEC Corporation this season, as the corporate did in Hachimura’s first three years.
Asked about his mind-set amid trade rumors, Hachimura mentioned he all he can do is imagine in himself. The trade deadline is Feb. 9.
“I just have to play my game, you know? I know what I can do: I can help the team to win, either here or [for] other teams,” he mentioned. “… So I’ve just got to keep focused on the moment right now. I know all the stuff going on right now, but I’ve just got to play the games and be myself.”