The Portland Trail Blazers are running out of time to address their forward needs on the free agency market as options continue to dwindle. The top option left on the board to use their Non-Taxpayer Mid-Level Exception on is Los Angeles Lakers forward Rui Hachimura.
Fortunately, Portland's chances of landing its dream free agency target have seemingly increased on Saturday. NBA insiders Marc Stein and Jake Fischer reported on The Stein Line that there's a growing expectation that Hachimura will leave the Lakers.
"There is a corresponding (and growing) expectation that free agent forward Rui Hachimura will join James in exiting Tinseltown. The Lakers, league sources say, are focused on adding a wing and another big man after Friday's agreement with Washington to trade Deandre Ayton for the slightly less expensive Jaden Hardy and two future second-round picks. And a good bit of that focus, sources say, has involved Kuminga."
After the season Hachimura just had, prioritizing Jonathan Kuminga over him is certainly a choice.
Los Angeles does need more athleticism on the wing, though it shouldn't come at the expense of Hachimura. He's quietly developed into one of the most reliable floor spacers in the league, averaging 11.5 points while shooting 51.4 percent from the field and 44.3 percent from beyond the arc last season.
Rui Hachimura would help address Portland's two biggest roster problems
Hopefully, Los Angeles' loss is Portland's gain, as this is exactly the addition they could use to address their forward and shooting needs simultaneously.
Even if the Lakers do ultimately pivot away from Hachimura, the Blazers should still face stiff free agency competition as he receives interest from other teams around the league. The Stein Line previously reported that the Warriors and Timberwolves have expressed interest in the Gonzaga product, making it imperative that Portland act with urgency -- something they have repeatedly failed to do throughout this free agency period.
Currently, the Blazers' only signing is former Thunder seven-footer Branden Carlson. A sneaky addition given Robert Williams III's injury history and Yang Hansen's underwhelming rookie season. But now, GM Joe Cronin must turn his attention to solely focusing on using the final two roster spots on forwards.
If they strike out on Hachimura, other potential backup targets could include Ziaire Williams, Bruce Brown Jr., or even reuniting with Nicolas Batum. They could also still decide to bring back Matisse Thybulle, who is currently an unrestricted free agent as well.
These are serviceable options they should pursue regardless of what happens with Hachimura, though the talent disparity shows just how much the Lakers forward should be prioritized in their free agency search.
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