NBA Trade Grades: Mavericks land important upgrade with P.J. Washington

The Charlotte Hornets’ fire sale continues ahead of the 2024 NBA Trade Deadline, with talented young forward P.J. Washington being the next player shipped out of town.

Charlotte Hornets trade P.J. Washington to Dallas Mavericks

Per The Athletic’s Senior NBA insider Shams Charania, the Hornets are sending Washington to the Dallas Mavericks in exchange for Grant Williams, Seth Curry, and a first-round pick. The first-round pick Charlotte is receiving is Dallas’ 2027 selection and is top-two protected according to Charania. 

Moreover, Charania notes that the Mavericks are getting two second-round picks from the Hornets as part of the deal.

Washington had been linked to the Mavs for some time, and now Dallas finally gets their guy.

Tim Cato of The Athletic (subscription required) had reported Dallas’ desire to upgrade along the wings and add a “tall four, ideally with two-way ability and solid spot-up shooting,” which are some of the things Washington does best on the court.

A career 35.9 percent 3-point shooter on 5.9 attempts per game, Washington is hitting 3s at a career-low 32.4 rate this season. The Mavericks are betting on this being an outlier, given the larger sample size we’ve seen throughout his career, shooting at least 36.5 percent from beyond the arc in his first three seasons as a pro.

In 44 games this season, Washington is averaging 13.6 points, 5.3 rebounds, and 2.2 assists per game while shooting 44.6 percent from the floor.

At 6-foot-7, Washington has the size, length, and athleticism needed to guard multiple positions on the defensive side of the ball. His switchability and all-around play style offer head coach Jason Kidd a lot of lineup versatility and a seamless fit alongside Dallas’ superstar backcourt duo of Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving.

For the Hornets, they continue moving on from core rotational pieces in preparation for what could be a lengthy rebuilding process. Charlotte did a solid job of netting a future first-round pick from a Mavericks team that could change between now and 2027.

Moreover, they acquired a capable 25-year-old 3-and-D forward under contract through 2027 at a team-friendly cost of roughly $13.3 million annually in the form of Williams and a veteran sharpshooter who could provide solid reserve minutes in Curry.

In addition to Washington, the Mavericks also acquired Daniel Gafford from the Washington Wizards, bolstering their frontcourt in hopes of making a playoff push.

The cost was steep when factoring in Dallas gave a 2030 first-round pick swap and two second-round picks in the three-team trade they made to acquire Williams this past offseason, but Washington is a notable upgrade.

Dallas Mavericks trade grade: B- | Charlotte Hornets trade grade: B+