PJ Washington’s first full season with the Dallas Mavericks was a successful one, from a personal production standpoint. After last season’s trip to the NBA Finals, and all the positive, residual energy that manifested within the team’s locker room during the subsequent offseason, the unfolding and unraveling of this year’s 24-25 campaign and franchise, respectively, has fostered a decidedly despondent vibe in Dallas, which threatens to remain a staple for the foreseeable future.
Washington’s contributions, however, are not lost on the Mavericks’ fanbase. He came into Dallas in February of last year, alongside center Daniel Gafford, and the duo’s immediate assimilation into the ballclub’s game plan helped spark the major momentum that the Mavs would eventually ride through the Western Conference Championship and into the Finals. Washington’s reputation as a defensive ace quickly garnered attention in North Texas, as has his willingness to respond to aggression from other teams, particularly in defense of the franchise’s generational talent, Luka Doncic. This latter point was most certainly not lost on fans.
Season in Review
Fast forward exactly one year and PJ finds himself in a very different locker room. While most of the faces remain, that of the game’s premier offensive facilitator is no longer an occupant. This, more than anything, has, and will, change the type of offensive looks that Washington sees during the course of a game. His toughness, effort, and defensive savvy are the primary reasons that he will continue to be very well liked in Dallas. He was a fan favorite from the get-go, but the culmination of Doncic’s departure (due to his trade) and Kyrie Irving’s questionable status heading into next season (due to his ACL injury) will certainly reduce the frequency of wide open shots that PJ will walk into next year. He still has solid players around him, inclusive of a couple of hall of famers. Things are just different now.
Fortunately for Dallas, Washington has become a more vocal leader. This is, in part, out of necessity, as the aftermath of the loss of Doncic and Irving issued in a leadership vacuum in Dallas (though, it should be noted that Klay Thompson did well to lead the Mavs through some dark times this year). But in his sixth season in the NBA, with one Finals appearance under his belt, Washington has shown that he’s prepared to be a leader. His steady improvement across most of the statistical categories would also seem to back up that observation. Though he did not play in 22 games this season, compared to only 7 misses the season prior, his points-made aggregate only dipped by 100 points. Because he averaged 14.7 points per game this year (up from 11.7 with his tenure in Dallas last season), he would have easily surpassed his points total from last season had he been available for the same number of games. His three-point percentage went up from .320 to .381 since last year, as well. It’s worth noting, however, that he had the luxury of playing alongside Doncic for more games this season than last, obviously providing more open looks from behind the arc. While his blocks and steals numbers remained roughly the same as last season, his rebound numbers increased significantly, from 5.6 per game to 7.8 per game. Stat lines can fluctuate greatly depending on who you’re suiting up next to, but PJ’s steady production demonstrates that he’s a reliable starter for the Mavericks.
Best Game
A shooting slump to start the season aside, PJ was one of Dallas’ most consistent players for the long-haul, when healthy. While he does have a couple of 40-point games in his career, it’s never been an expectation for him to lead the team in scoring. His greatest value is derived on defense, closely followed by rebounding and intangibles. That said, his best game this season might have come in the January 29th win over the Pelicans. He played almost 38 minutes in that contest, going 10-20 in field goals (4-7 from deep), with 25 points, 14 rebounds and 8 assists.
Contract Status
PJ is entering year two of the three-year, $46.5 million contract he signed with Charlotte before his trade to Dallas. This season upcoming season will be important for Washington’s next contract, but it’s become increasingly difficult to surmise just how much this team’s brass places value in retaining elite talent. There have even been some major airballs in the front office’s ability to assess how much value the fanbase places in the team’s elite talent.
Looking Ahead
One question mark heading into next season is PJ’s ability to adjust from starting at the 4 to now starting at the 3. When Anthony Davis was traded to Dallas in February, it shook up the lineup beyond Luka’s absence. Washington has been forced to play small forward since that time, as Davis has a strong preference for playing the power-forward position rather than center. This moved PJ into a slightly different role, offensively, for the last few weeks of the season. Overcoming that, as well as having fewer playmakers/facilitators on his squad, will be points of interest to keep an eye on regarding PJ’s continued maturation as a player next season.
Grade: B+
While he’s not an MVP caliber player, he’s the rare type of high-energy, high-effort role player that can be the face of a team’s defense and be relied upon to produce big buckets when it counts. It’s a shame that he won’t be able to play alongside Doncic moving forward, but PJ has shown that he’s willing to be a leader and to provide a strong veteran presence in the locker room and on the court.
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