MEMPHIS, TENNESSEE – APRIL 18: P.J. Washington #25 of the Dallas Mavericks takes a shot against Desmond Bane #22 of the Memphis Grizzlies during the first half of the Play-In Tournament at FedExForum on April 18, 2025 in Memphis, Tennessee. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Justin Ford/Getty Images)
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When the Dallas Mavericks extended the contract of P.J. Washington earlier this month, to the tune of $88 million over four years, it came with an enormous benefit.
Not only did Dallas keep the stable two-way forward around, but in case they eventually need to pivot, Washington now makes for an attractive trade asset.
Value aligns with production
The 6’7 forward, who can also spot minutes at center, is a jack of all trades, and even if he’s a master of none, that doesn’t belittle his production nor impact.
Washington’s raw line is all-around modest. 14.7 points, 7.8 rebounds, 2.3 assists, 1.1 steals, and 1.1 blocks per game.
To the naked eye, that might seem fairly pedestrian, but it’s everything but.
Washington’s ability to produce on both ends of the floor, while being a competent rebounder at the forward position, is basically the type of role player every team wants to pair with their star.
The fact that Washington can also shoot (38.1% from three-point range), is an added bonus, as he can function in an off-ball role, and doesn’t need a significant portion of on-ball touches to contribute.
Trade deadline darling
Washington will be a guy many teams will call on, especially if he duplicates the production of last season.
Of course, they might call regardless given that both Anthony Davis and Cooper Flagg are both in Dallas. Davis, known for wanting to play the power forward position, is going to challenge Washington directly for minutes. That’ll be the case with Flagg too, as he also projects as more of a four.
As such, there’s strong likelihood that Washington could see his minutes squeezed, and that’s when the vultures come circling, offering him bigger roles elsewhere.
For Dallas to now be able to sell Washington as a long-term contract is an asset to the organization, and signals they could get a fair bit for him in an eventual return, especially near the 2026 trade deadline.
We’ll see how Dallas decides to play this, but they enter the season with loads of flexibility on him, and his contract.
Unless noted otherwise, all stats via NBA.com, PBPStats, Cleaning the Glass or Basketball-Reference. All salary information via Spotrac. All odds courtesy of FanDuel Sportsbook.
