Wizards forward Rui Hachimura unfazed by trade rumors as deadline approaches
Rui Hachimura warms up before the game against the Orlando Magic on Jan. 21, 2023.
WASHINGTON (AP) — Rui Hachimura doesn’t seem too disturbed by the idea he could be traded.
“I just want to be somewhere that wants me as a basketball player, and I want to be somewhere that likes my game,” the Washington Wizards forward said Saturday night.
When asked if Washington is that place, he replied: “I don’t know. We’ve got to find out.”
Hachimura was certainly an asset for the Wizards on Saturday, when he equaled a career high with 30 points in a win over Orlando. That came shortly after chatter started swirling about the possibility he could be dealt before the Feb. 9 deadline.
“I just got to play my game. I know what I can do, and I can help the team to win,” Hachimura said after the game. “It’s either here or other team. I can help teams.”
When asked if he wanted to be traded, the 24-year-old Hachimura paused several seconds before saying: “I don’t know.”
When asked if he’d requested a trade, he declined comment.
Is Rui Hachimura's time with the Wizards coming to an end?
The 6-foot-8 Hachimura is in his fourth season. The Wizards drafted him with the ninth pick in 2019 out of Gonzaga.
He started 105 games in his first two seasons but only 13 since then, including none this season. In 30 games this season, he’s averaged 13 points and 4.3 rebounds. He’s also averaged 13 points for his career.
“I’ve just got to keep focus on the moment right now,” Hachimura said. “I know all the stuff going on right now. I’ve just got to play the games and just to be myself.”
