NBA Trade Rumors: Wizards exploring trade for Rui Hachimura ahead of deadline

NBA Trade Rumors: As the NBA Trade Deadline inches closer and closer, the Washington Wizards are exploring possible trades for Rui Hachimura.

The Washington Wizards have disappointed this season. After a solid start to the year, the Wizards have quickly fallen down the Eastern Conference standings and are now a bottom-four team. With the NBA Trade Deadline closing in, the Wizards have to make some big decisions regarding some of their big-name players.

On the surface, the likes of Kristaps Porzingis and Kyle Kuzma, who could both hit free agency this offseason, would be prime trade candidates. However, the Wizards have been consistent in their stance on buyers and not sellers.

Although, according to a recent report, that doesn’t mean that the team still won’t trade a big piece. According to a recent report, the Wizards are fielding trade offers for wing Rui Hachimura ahead of next month’s NBA Trade Deadline.

And this could give us a strong indication of what the plans are for the Wizards heading into the offseason.

What could this mean for the Washington Wizards?

If the Wizards are going to trade Hachimura, that likely means they are going to throw all of their resources into trying to re-sign both Kristaps and Kuzma. Though, that could end up being more difficult than it sounds.

Both Kristaps and Kuzma will be drawn to other suitors. And with the Wizards struggling once again this season, it would not be surprising if they elected to try and win elsewhere. At the same time, if the Wizards do move forward with trading Hachimura at the trade deadline, they have to be quite sure about themselves that they’ll be able to sign one or both of Kristaps and Kuzma.

At the very least, it should provide for a very exciting next few weeks in the nation’s capital.

And the longer the Wizards continue down a bad path, the more the urgency for the team to make a big move will rise. Will that have an impact on how the front office will operate at the trade deadline? That remains to be seen.

But if the Wizards are now open to trading Hachimura, it could perhaps indicate somewhat of a change in the thinking for the team. You can’t help but wonder, what’s next?

Could the team also weigh trades for Kuzma or Kristaps? Maybe Bradley Beal? At this point, everything has to be on the table for the Wizards heading into the deadline.