Rui Hachimura to Wizards: Washington's Current Roster After 2019 NBA Draft
June 21, 2019
Rui Hachimura is headed to the Washington Wizards after being selected with the No. 9 pick of the 2019 NBA draft.
CJ McCollum and the Blazers Snapped Postseason Losing Streak for "Jennifer"
Jordan, Irving & Paul Invest in Plant-Based Food as Vegetarianism Sweeps NBA
Boogie, Luka and the Rest of the NBA Got Some Wild Techs This Season
Jarrett Allen Is One of the NBA’s Hottest Rim Protectors
Dwyane Wade's Jersey Swaps Created Epic Moments This NBA Season
OKC’s Russell Westbrook Makes NBA History While Honoring Nipsey Hussle
Phoenix Suns' Devin Booker Makes History with Scoring Tear
29 Years Ago Today, Michael Jordan Dropped Career-High 69 Points
Chris Bosh Is Getting His No. 1 Jersey Raised to the Rafters in Miami
Steph Curry Returns to Houston for the First Time Since His Moon Landing Troll
Lou Williams Is Coming for a Repeat of Sixth Man of the Year
Step Aside Lakers, Pat Beverley Has the Clippers Stealing the LA Shine
LeBron Passes Jordan on All-Time Scoring List, Keeps Shredding NBA Record Books
Trae Young's Hot Streak Is Heating Up the ROY Race with Luka Doncic
LeBron James and 2 Chainz Form a Superteam to Release a New Album
Miami Heat Legend Dwyane Wade's #OneLastDance Dominated February
Warriors Fans Go Wild After Unforgettable Moments and Gifts from Steph Curry
Eight Years Ago, the Nuggets Traded Carmelo Anthony to the Knicks
Two Years Ago, the Kings Shipped Superstar DeMarcus Cousins to the Pelicans
The NBA All-Star Game Will Be Competitive Again If the League Raises the Stakes
The Gonzaga forward remains a high-upside prospect after he made massive leaps throughout his college career.
Here is how the Wizards' roster shapes up after the selection.
Check out B/R NBA draft expert Jonathan Wasserman’s scouting profile on Hachimura.
Wizards Active Roster and Average Salary (Expiration Year)
Bradley Beal, SG: $25.4M (2021)
Ian Mahinmi, C: $16M (2020)
Jabari Parker, PF: $20M (2020)
John Wall, PG: $17M (2023)
Tarik Phillip, G: $0.7M (2020)
Troy Brown Jr., SF: $3M (2022)
Rui Hachimura, PF: $3.9M (2023)
Admiral Schofield, SF
Bobby Portis, PF: RFA
Chasson Randle, PG: RFA
Devin Robinson, SF: UFA
Dwight Howard, C: Player
Jabari Parker, PF: Team
Jeff Green, SF: UFA
Sam Dekker, SF: RFA
Thomas Bryant, C: RFA
Tomas Satoransky, SG: RFA
Trevor Ariza, SF: UFA
Originally from Japan, Hachimura went to Gonzaga in 2016 and began as a bench player who averaged just 2.6 points per game during his freshman year. He improved to 11.6 points per contest and eventually 19.7 per game this past year as a junior.
He was an All-American and go-to scoring option on one of the country's best teams during the regular season.
He also faced challenges beyond the court.
"Communication. Language. That was very hard," Hachimura said in March, per Marc J. Spears of The Undefeated. "It's different. Here and Japan are, like, the opposite things."
The 21-year-old now has a chance to be an impact player in the NBA.
At 6'8" with good skill and athleticism, he can play either forward spot and can make a positive impact on both ends.
Hachimura took most of his shots near the rim, but he showed the ability to knock down a mid-range jumper and even made 41.7 percent of his 36 three-point attempts. He can still improve in this area and become a versatile offensive threat.
Though Hachimura skipped the NBA combine in May, the Wizards still like his skill set. Look for him to get significant, immediate playing time.
The Wizards are heading toward a rebuild with John Wall expected to miss the 2019-20 season and Bradley Beal looming as a potential trade target. Hachimura is the type of glue player the Wizards could use as they build their roster.