Remember when former head coach Gregg Popovich told the world that Jeremy Sochan would be playing point guard for San Antonio? You could almost hear the collective confusion in Spurs Nation. There was nearly a New Year's Eve-level celebration when they put the defensive stalwart back in his original position. Well, now the Mavericks want to try it out with PJ Washington, and I say, let them.
The Dallas Mavericks could use PJ Washington and Cooper Flagg as primary ball handlers if they do, in fact, start together in the starting lineup, per @KevinGraySports pic.twitter.com/nEU4t19UTn
— NBACentral (@TheDunkCentral) October 21, 2025
The Mavs are going to learn a hard lesson
I think this is more a product of Jason Kidd's desire to deploy the newly popularized "jumbo lineup" than it is about a lack of playmaking on the roster. Dallas signed D'Angelo Russell in the offseason to help keep the team afloat while Kyrie Irving is recovering from the ACL tear he suffered in March. He's expected back in January 2026, and it's a talented team, so they don't want to punt their year away.
I know that Russell isn't a fan favorite for any fan base in the league where he's been, but he's still a professional with the skills and experience to hold down the fort for a few months. He'll still be asked to do that, but he'll do it with the bench unit.
We'll see how long it lasts because if it goes the same way it did for the Spurs, their offense will be clunky and stall out often. Hopefully, the Silver and Black can take advantage of that early as they try to figure things out. Jason Kidd is a smart coach, so if he sees that the Washington experiment is hurting the team, I expect him to switch to a more traditional guard sooner rather than later.
The former Kentucky Wildcat is a skilled NBA player, but he has other strengths that got him to the league. Playmaking is not one of them. Washington has never averaged more than 2.5 assists per game in his six-year career. He's also never had to. PJ averaged nearly 15 points per game last season and shot 38% from three. It was a great year for him, and now, he'll be forced to play out of position.
The depth of their frontcourt has increased, and those are their best players. The lineup in question will include PJ, Klay Thompson, Cooper Flagg, Anthony Davis, and Dereck Lively II. Daniel Gafford is another effective and powerful center for them, but he's doubtful due to a sprained ankle, so the Spurs may not have to deal with the former Wizard in game one.
Regardless of his status, the advantage the Mavericks are looking for with their great size may end up being negated by lackluster playmaking. Of course, it will be up to the Spurs to make them uncomfortable playing that way.