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Wizards: 10 thoughts on the first quarter of the season

By Alex Saenz

WASHINGTON, DC - JANUARY 24: Bradley Beal #3 of the Washington Wizards looks on against the Golden State Warriors in the first half at Capital One Arena on January 24, 2019 in Washington, DC. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Rob Carr/Getty Images)
WASHINGTON, DC - JANUARY 24: Bradley Beal #3 of the Washington Wizards looks on against the Golden State Warriors in the first half at Capital One Arena on January 24, 2019 in Washington, DC. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Rob Carr/Getty Images) /
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NBA
NBA Rui Hachimura (Photo by Takashi Aoyama/Getty Images) /

Rui Hachimura is an interesting prospect

Rui Hachimura right now has basically two positive NBA traits – his size/physique and his mid-range pullup jumper. Given that he is a 21-year-old rookie who came into the game late, this is okay. He is basically a tabula rasa, and it is up to the coaching staff and himself (through intangibles like work ethic, intelligence, desire) to get sculpted into a useful NBA player. His physical profile screams potential.

He stands 6-foot-8 with a (reported) 7-foot-2 wingspan and a strong frame. This allows him to hold his own in the interior already as a rookie. He has had flashes as a pick-and-roll dive man, and he did not look outmatched guarding Kawhi Leonard last weekend. His other skill, the mid-range game off the bounce, is more difficult to project. He is already outstanding from this area, shooting 53 percent on 2-pointers outside of 16 feet. The issue is that this era has made this skill close to useless for most players that are not primary offensive options.

Hachmiura needs to develop in a lot of key areas to fit into the modern game. Right now there have been many flashes of brilliance mixed with growing pains. This is to be expected. The two aspects that I am monitoring closely for Rui during the rest of the season are his feel for the game and his finishing in the paint. Currently, he will miss open teammates and not make defensive rotations off the ball.

And for his finishing, he gets blocked or stripped several times each game, which tells me he is not used to playing against NBA athletes. He also shies away from contact, partly explaining his ghastly free-throw attempt rates. If Rui Hachimura progress in these two areas as the season goes on, then it will be extremely promising for his long-term outlook. It will signify that he is picking up stuff quickly and that he is intelligent enough to overcome his lack of basketball experience.

I expect the jump shot from three to remain broken for the time being, it is too flat and he almost always leaves it short. Rui Hachmiura is an extremely unconventional NBA prospect in this day and age, and I am excited to watch his continued development.

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