Rui Hachimura offers efficient scoring and shooting, fitting the Sixers' offensive needs. But can his offense compensate for Kelly Oubre's departure?
The Sixer Sense named Los Angeles Lakers forward Rui Hachimura as a possible Kelly Oubre Jr. replacement if he leaves in free agency, and the idea makes sense from a basketball perspective.
Oubre's future with the Philadelphia 76ers is uncertain as his contract winds down, and the Sixers have spent the season leaning on a roster built around Tyrese Maxey, Paul George, and Joel Embiid. If Oubre moves on, Philadelphia would need another wing that can score without needing the offense built around him.
On offense, Hachimura fits the mold. He averaged 11.5 points, 3.3 rebounds, and 0.8 assists for the Los Angeles Lakers this season while shooting 51.4% from the field and 44.3% from three. Hachimura put up these numbers while only being on the ball 6.5% of the time. This number is in the 7th percentile league-wide and shows how the veteran forward doesn't need the ball in his hands to be an impactful scorer. He can cut, spot up, and function within the flow of the offense without needing plays called for him.
The concern is on the other end. When players are guarded by Hachimura, they have a 61.5% effective field goal percentage, which is 6.5% above the league average. The eye test also says he isn't the best defender. Hachimura can slack off on that end, be bad at navigating screens, and get blown by due to his slow reaction time and lack of foot speed. Against teams with elite scoring wings, the Sixers would need stronger point-of-attack defense if Hachimura were a part of the rotation.
That tradeoff is what makes the fit interesting. Philadelphia shot 34.9% from three this season, so adding another efficient shooter would help the spacing around Maxey and Embiid. Hachimura is not the same athlete as Oubre, but he could offer a cleaner offensive fit as a complementary wing.
Overall, the case for Hachimura is simple; he would help Philadelphia's offense by opening up the floor and making life easier for the star players. The question is whether the Sixers would be comfortable giving away some defensive flexibility to get that shooting and efficiency.
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Wes Dixon is a contributing writer to 76ersRoundtable. He can be reached at dixonwesley286@gmail.com.