Spurs' dream Rui Hachimura signing addresses mediocrity in key offensive area

Rui Hachimura is one of the biggest names on the 2026 free agency market. According to Jake Fischer, the Spurs are extremely interested in signing him (subscription required). The defending Western Conference champions would love to add another weapon to their offensive arsenal, and Hachimura's floor spacing would take them from decent to dominant as a three-point shooting team.

The Spurs' offense was already great last season, ranking 3rd in rating behind the dynamic play of Victor Wembanyama, Stephon Castle, and others. But signing Hachimura adds more layers to their scoring attack, making them an even bigger headache for opposing coaching staffs.

This summer, teams across the league, particularly in the West, are stacking their rosters to try to counter the Spurs. It's quite flattering for such a young group, but it shows them they must stay on their toes by adding marginal pieces of their own. Hachimura would do wonders if picked up by San Antonio, giving them another lethal shooting threat.

Hachimura's floor spacing helps the Spurs go from good to great from distance

Last season, San Antonio was decent from the three-point line, ranking 14th in attempts per game (37.9) and 15th in percentage (35.9). Those numbers were okay, but if they can improve in that area, they'll be an even tougher matchup for opposing teams. That's where Hachimura can come in and help.

He's one of the best three-point shooters in the NBA and holds the highest career playoff three-point percentage of all time. This year, he made a blistering 56.9% of his shots from distance on the postseason stage for the Lakers.

Rui's ability to space the floor also makes life easier for the Spurs' guards by opening up driving lanes. Dylan Harper, De'Aaron Fox, and Stephon Castle were already dangerous getting to the rim last season, so adding another shooter gives them more room to operate.

That increased spacing also helps Victor Wembanyama in several ways. When he's coming downhill in pick-and-roll actions, tag defenders won't feel as comfortable stepping away from the three-point line to impede his path to the basket.

Additionally, it opens the floor up for him to score in one-on-one situations, as opponents would feel less confident to double-team him and get thrown into rotation.

Hachimura deserves to play in an environment like San Antonio

For a second, forget what Hachimura could do for the Spurs' offense. The other side of the story is that he deserves to play for a team that's ready to win a championship. For years, he was an impressive role player on teams that were either subpar, mediocre, or only postured as contenders.

His time in LA was interesting. While they put together some talented groups during his tenure, they only made it past the second round of the playoffs once, and that was back in 2023. He's a player who's experienced and ready to bring his talents to a team that already has the tools to go to the NBA Finals.

The biggest concern right now is price. Nobody should question the fit between him and the Spurs' roster, but whether or not they can afford to bring him in is the question. Does that mean they let someone walk? Harrison Barnes is an unrestricted free agent and played in just two of their Finals games, so maybe he's the odd man out.

Whatever the decision is, the Spurs must make it. Rui is too good a player to miss out on, and he could help them make a drastic leap in such an important area of the game.

Add us as a preferred source on Google

Follow