In February, the normally intuitive Dallas Mavericks front office went through a mini-run of head-scratching moves. Of course, there was the Luka Doncic abomination that caused a collective jaw drop among the entire basketball world. But they also traded away Quentin Grimes (one of the most underrated role players in the association) and a second round pick for an older/inferior Caleb Martin.
However, it seems as though general manager Nico Harrison and company have finally regained their wits. I thought the D’Angelo Russell signing was a great value, and cordially agreeing to a new contract with Kyrie Irving is always a win. They also re-upped Daniel Gafford’s contract at a reasonable rate and brought back Dante Exum.
And today, they continued their streak of wise decision-making by securing veteran forward P.J. Washington through the remainder of the 2020s on a four-year, $90 million extension.
Locking Up P.J. Washington Long-Term Gives The Dallas Mavericks A Ton Of Flexibility
While we don’t have the official yearly splits on Washington’s new deal, it will average out to about $22.5 million per season. That may seem like a lot, but that is about the going rate for a starting-caliber forward, which is exactly what Washington has proven to be over his last two seasons in Dallas.
To put some numbers behind it, if Washington got paid 22.5 million in 2026-27 (the year his deal started), played 72 of 82 games, and performed at a similar level he did this past season, his production would be worth roughly 19 million dollars (based on my formula). So, not a huge difference between his on-court value and the number on his paycheck. Don’t forget he’s still just 27 years old (his birthday was August 23rd) and could theoretically add more to his game by the time his raise kicks in.
As I’ve mentioned in other recent work, the Mavericks have one of the most formidable frontlines in basketball. And Washington’s versatility on both sides of the ball (77th percentile block rate and 72nd percentile 3-point efficiency) allows him to oscillate between the three and four spot alongside his rim protecting brethren (Gafford, Anthony Davis, Dereck Lively II, and Cooper Flagg).
Washington represents a great depth piece for a Mavericks team that is looking to build a contender around Irving/Davis/Flagg, but since his contract is fairly priced, Dallas could also use him as a trade chip to boost their backcourt (although they can’t trade him this season).
Like we said, Washington is a relatively young forward, with a skillset that is perfect for fitting alongside star players (see his contributions to the 2023-24 Dallas Mavericks). In a trade, he would be much more than just matching salary. Washington would be someone that contending teams are trying to add to their rotation. So, Dallas would get a pretty nice return for Washington in a trade, even without attaching any picks to him.
No matter how you slice it, Dallas will need to trade a player or two from their fleet of wings/bigs (this also includes guys like Martin, Naji Marshall, and Max Christie) if they want to create a more balanced roster. Will Washington be that player? Only time will tell.
The beauty of extending Washington right now is that the Mavericks now have time to see what is out there and who they would need to give up to get the missing piece they are looking for. It also buys them time to see what this team looks like with Flagg and a healthy Irving. Plus, they don’t have to worry about Washington’s on-court output taking a dip because of any frustrations he has with his contract situation.
Listen, what the Mavericks did last winter is inexcusable. But that doesn’t mean we also can’t acknowledge this recent stretch of savvy moves.