NBA free agency begins on June 30th, but that won’t stop us from dreaming of possibilities. One such possibility is the New Orleans Pelicans going after a Los Angeles Laker. No, not LeBron James. Not even Austin Reaves. The Pelicans should focus on Rui Hachimura this free agency.
While a big splash this offseason would be exciting, it likely isn’t happening. Instead, targeting players like Hachimura could make a big difference.
Hachimura is too undersized to play center, which is still a need, but he can help the Pelicans with his size. At 6-foot-8, Hachimura is big enough to fight down low in the paint and grab some rebounds while also being effective on the perimeter.
The Pelicans desperately need more players who can score on multiple levels. Currently, Zion Williamson is their top scoring threat, but he can only score in the paint. Adding a player like Hachimura will give the Pelicans’ offense more flexibility. You can play a guy like Hachimura on the court with Williamson and/or Derik Queen because of his ability to stretch the floor.
Rui Hachimura is a threat behind the arc
At the beginning of his career, while playing for the Washington Wizards, Hachimura was not a good three-point shooter. However, he has become one of the better shooters from behind the arc in the NBA.
Hachimura has shot over 40 percent from three-point land in the last three seasons. He would immediately become the Pelicans’ second-best three-point shooter behind Trey Murphy. Even more impressive is Hachimura’s playoff shooting. He is shooting 51.6 percent from three-point range in the playoffs over 41 games, and is the NBA's all-time leader in three-point percentage. Hachimura is an unrestricted free agent this offseason, but he is going to command a decent sum of money.
Hachimura is just 27 years old, so he is still in his prime. I could see a scenario where a team signs him and gives him bigger minutes in their starting lineup. With the Lakers, Hachimura averaged just under 28 minutes per game. It would be interesting to see if Hachimura can improve his game when he is featured more.
I don’t know if the Pelicans will be able to offer that to Hachimura, considering they also have Williamson, Queen, Trey Murphy, and Saddiq Bey in the forward spots. However, the Pelicans will likely be very active this offseason, so I expect there to be other players on the move.
If the Pelicans can give Hachimura at least 30 minutes a night, I think he will be a great addition to the team. And because he can score inside the paint and beyond the three-point line, he can work alongside anyone else the Pelicans have around him.
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