Despite not always being the most valued player on the Philadelphia 76ers' roster, Kelly Oubre Jr. has been a loyal servant to the franchise after joining at the start of the 2023-24 season. With his contract expiring at the end of this campaign, his future with the team is unclear. Currently, Rui Hachimura and the Los Angeles Lakers are mirroring the same situation. The 76ers must act decisively to get ahead of the market and acquire a player who can make an immediate impact.
Whether fans would like to admit it or not, replacing a player like Oubre Jr. is always a difficult task. As a less prominent offensive option, the 30-year-old must set his ego aside and find a way to positively contribute to winning, even when his number is not being called. He brings energy, commitment, and numbers to a team that already boasts superstars in Joel Embiid, Paul George, and Tyrese Maxey.
For the season, Oubre Jr. has averaged 14.1 points, five rebounds, and 1.4 steals per game, underscoring his impact on both ends of the court. While Rui Hachimura may not be a like-for-like replacement, his scoring efficiency from a similar offensive role makes him the ideal candidate to replace Kelly should he choose to move on to new pastures.
Rui Hachimura would complement Joel Embiid's skill set perfectly
Even if the Sixers' critical Game 7 matchup with the Boston Celtics goes pear-shaped, one would imagine that Daryl Morey will persevere with the Joel Embiid vision. This means that any player who joins Philadelphia must be able to stretch the floor effectively and be willing to accept a reduced scoring role when Joel Embiid is on the court. During his time with the Lakers, Hachimura has consistently proven that this is a role he thrives in.
While playing alongside LeBron James, Luka Doncic, Austin Reaves, and even in the days of Anthony Davis, Hachimura has had to acknowledge that he will forever be the bridesmaid and never the bride. However, that has never seemed to reduce his capacity to affect games when his moment arrives on offense.
Throughout the 2025-26 season, Hachimura has averaged 11.5 points and 3.3 rebounds per game, while shooting 51.4% from the floor. Most importantly, given how he will be deployed in Philadelphia's system, the 28-year-old has knocked down an impressive 44.3% of his three-point attempts per game.
There is a negative factor to this acquisition -- namely, Hachimura's defensive contribution compared to that of Oubre Jr. The Lakers forward has made a minimal impact on this side of the ball, and that must change if he wishes to be successful with the 76ers. Embiid's limited mobility requires players to step up and pick up his slack in certain stretches of games. As it stands, Rui has not shown he is capable of this in Los Angeles on a consistent basis.
Nevertheless, defensive limitations aside, Rui Hachimura offers valuable scoring from the wing -- something the Philadelphia 76ers would need if Kelly Oubre Jr. ultimately decides his future lies elsewhere. Daryl Morey should be at the front of the queue should the Lakers forward become available when the offseason arrives.
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