In a blockbuster trade proposal, the Lakers will acquire PJ Washington and send Jarred Vanderbilt, Bronny James, Dalton Knecht and a 2032 draft pick swap to the Mavericks.
The Los Angeles Lakers have successfully delivered a plethora of significant moves in what has been a major 2026 offseason of retooling. In the wake of LeBron James' stunning exit and others such as Marcus Smart, Rui Hachimura and Luke Kennard, LA still went busy and filled their holes by signing complementary pieces to build a new era around Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves.
But while they have executed plenty of deals already, the Lakers reportedly remain steadfast in adding more wing help. Beyond their well-known pursuit of Jonathan Kuminga in free agency, Los Angeles was also linked multiple times to a potential trade chase for P.J. Washington.
As such, NBA reporter Evan Sidery landed an intriguing trade idea that sends Washington to the Lakers that features Bronny James and Jarred Vanderbilt.
Los Angeles Lakers receive:
P.J. Washington
Dallas Mavericks receive:
Jarred Vanderbilt
Bronny James
Dalton Knecht
2032 pick swap
Lakers facing PJ Washington trade hurdle amid hefty contract
While many rumors and reports have already connected them to PJ Washington, it remains to be seen whether the Los Angeles Lakers will make a serious push.
The Lakers have reportedly been reluctant to absorb Washington's contract, according to Khobi Price of the California Post.
Washington is about to enter the first season of his four-year, $88.8 million contract extension, which he signed last September with the Dallas Mavericks. He is estimated to earn $19.8 million in the 2026-27 season.
Still, despite his expensive long-term deal, Washington remains one of the NBA's most valuable role players and premier 3-and-D wings who can strongly help the Lakers compete. The versatile forward averaged 14.2 points, 7.0 rebounds, 1.8 assists, and 1.1 blocks in 31 minutes per game, shooting 45% from the field and 32.5% from three across 56 appearances last 2025-26 season.
He also hammered his reputation as the best possible wing help for Luka Doncic, as he served as the Mavs' defensive wing anchor of their 2024 NBA Finals run.
[
Thank you for reading us! We have even more content for you.](https://basketnews.com/plus?utm_source=basketnews_com&utm_medium=bn_plus&utm_id=UA-259273-31&utm_campaign=banners_free_content_for_not_members_bottom_7)
If you like our content, please click here and add us as your preferred source. It helps us a lot, and we are committed to delivering you the very latest basketball news.