P.J. Washington Reaches NBA Finals with Mavericks

The former Charlotte Hornet is playing for a ring.

May 26, 2024; Dallas, Texas, USA; Dallas Mavericks forward P.J. Washington (25) celebrates after the Mavericks take the lead against the Minnesota Timberwolves during game three of the western conference finals for the 2024 NBA playoffs at American Airlines Center. / Jerome Miron-USA TODAY Sports

P.J. Washington is now four wins away from securing the first NBA championship ring of his career, but will have to go through the Boston Celtics to get it.

The former Charlotte Hornet first rounder was traded to his hometown Dallas Mavericks back at the trade deadline in exchange for Seth Curry, Grant Williams, and a 2027 first-round draft pick (top 2 protected). The deal has been a pretty fair swap thus far although those on the outside may not realize the impact that the two veterans have had and will have in Charlotte.

The Hornets wanted things to workout with Washington and viewed him as a piece of this rebuild, giving him a three-year, $48M contract extension last August. Now, looking back on it you could say they got the deal done to potentially make him a more attractive trade option as a player with 2.5 years of control, but I do believe they were hoping he would be a part of their future. Obviously, the season didn't go as expected due to injuries throughout the roster and the organization felt like it was the best opportunity to retool the roster a bit, heading into the offseason with a new coach and GM.

In the five-game Western Conference Final series, Washington. averaged 12.2 points, 6.4 rebounds, and 1.2 assists per game while shooting 37% from the field and 25% from three-point range.

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