In with all the wretched angst the Dallas Mavericks and their fans have experienced in the last seven weeks, one thing has become crystal clear. PJ Washington is truly an indispensable man.
That designation was put on full statistical display in Friday’s 123-117 win over the Detroit Pistons at American Airlines Center. Not only did Washington have the ball in his hands enough to pile up both 27 points and nine turnovers, but he also reached rare statistical air in the win. And he shares this latest distinction with the most historically significant Maverick to ever don the green and blue.
Washington passed the 5,000-point mark with his first 3-point make of the night. He would go on to hit 5-of-8 from deep in the hard-fought win that kept Dallas in the hunt for the last play-in spot in the Western Conference playoff race. Not only that — he did it in just his 383rd career game.
P.J. Washington Jr. eclipsed 5,000 career points with a 3-point basket at the 10:02 mark of the 1st quarter tonight vs. Detroit.
Washington reached the milestone in his 383rd career game. pic.twitter.com/LxF6PdvGf2
— Mavs PR (@MavsPR) March 22, 2025
Washington became just the fifth player in NBA history to reach at least 5,000 points, 2,000 rebounds, 850 assists, 500 made 3-pointers, 350 steals and 350 blocked shots in his first 400 career games. Only Mavs legend Dirk Nowitzki, Vince Carter, Kevin Durant and Paul Pierce have piled up that unique and well-rounded statistical profile in a similarly short span.
Washington becomes the fifth player in NBA history to record at least 5,000 points, 2,000 rebounds, 850 assists, 500 3FGM, 350 steals and 350 blocks within their first 400 career games:
Dirk Nowitzki
Vince Carter
Kevin Durant
Paul Pierce
P.J. Washington Jr.
— Mavs PR (@MavsPR) March 22, 2025
He’s not held in the same esteem as the rest of that bunch yet, but he’s clearly been busy making his mark on the league since he was drafted by the Charlotte Hornets with the 12th overall pick in the 2019 NBA Draft. That is, to say, he’s not considered “elite,” but his production certainly has been lately, when his number has been called to fill some big scoring shoes in the absence of Luka Dončić, Kyrie Irving and the rest of the injury-riddled Mavs’ roster. His best statistical season in his six-plus years in the Association came in 2022-23 with the Hornets, when he averaged 15.7 points, 4.9 rebounds and 2.4 assists with the Hornets.
More recently, and starting with a 30-point, seven-rebound performance in a 115-114 loss to the Minnesota Timberwolves on Jan. 22, Washington is averaging 19.1 points and 8.5 rebounds in his last 14 games. In his last three, since returning to action following a recent ankle injury, he’s stepped it up to the tune of 27.3 points and 6.7 rebounds per game.
“He’s been great,” Mavs head coach Jason Kidd said about Washington in Friday’s postgame press conference. “And we’re going to need him to continue to keep playing at the level that he’s playing at right now.”
Washington took a decidedly different stance on his play in the win over Detroit in his postgame comments, though, focusing on his nine turnovers. This kind of thing will happen, though, when a great third option is thrust into the position of having to be everything to everyone all the time on a team struck by the injury bug at the unprecedented levels the Mavs have been this season.
“I’m kind of really pissed off at myself,” Washington said. “Because these nine turnovers — that’s terrible. I’ve got to be better.”
To be sure, the uptick in Washington’s recent numbers is in part a symptom of the increased workload he’s stepped into after Kyrie Irving’s season-ending knee injury to go along with the decimated Dallas frontcourt. Anthony Davis (thigh), Dereck Lively II (ankle) and Daniel Gafford (knee) all remain out as we move into the thick of the Western Conference playoff push. But even when all four were available, Washington had bullied his way near the top of the Mavs’ pecking order in terms of his importance to overall team cohesion.
Washington has become one of the Mavs’ most important contributors in any configuration, whether he’s playing small-ball five or bringing the ball up the court. Now it remains to be seen if he’ll be dealt in the upcoming offseason as speculation surrounds the Mavs’ potential future roster machinations.