P.J. Washington ‘Pipe-Dream’ Sign & Trade to Mavs Not Dead Yet; Here's Why

Despite previous reports of a P.J. Washington-to-Dallas deal being unrealistic, Charlotte's ongoing contract negotiations with the power forward may now be indicating otherwise.

LAS VEGAS — A week ago, if you thought Charlotte Hornets power forward P.J. Washington potentially becoming a member of the Dallas Mavericks was unrealistic, you likely would’ve been right. 

As glorious and exciting as NBA free agency can be, it also has its many ups and downs. One minute your star player is staying with your team "for life" and the next, he's gone on a more expensive contract with a team on the opposite side of the country. The cycle never truly ends, but it certainly does slow down. 

As of late, Summer League has taken over a majority of the league's media attention, but that's not to say there aren't free agency signings or decisions being weighed behind the scenes. 

For Dallas and Charlotte, some of those decisions could be centered on Washington in the near future. What used to be seen as a dead-end scenario has a breath of life all of a sudden, as Washington and the Hornets continue to negotiate a new contract while making little progress. 

"After distant negotiations prior to Summer League, the early word among league personnel suggests [that] Washington and Charlotte [are] far apart on a four-year deal," Yahoo Sports' Jake Fischer wrote. "Washington has not drawn an offer from the Hornets that reaches [Isaiah] Stewart’s salary figure ... of $16 million per season." 

Naturally, Washington wants to be paid. He's proven to be a big part of the Hornets' core, having improved his scoring stats almost every year he's been in the league. He's an all-around player, racking up steals and blocks almost as easily as he grabs rebounds. Despite his productive play, however, Charlotte isn't ready to offer him the money he wants. That's where Dallas enter the conversation … for real this time. 

"If Washington wants to get starter-level money, his only option is with the Hornets or finding a sign-and-trade scenario," Fischer continued. "At this juncture, it appears the Hornets would prefer to work on a sign-and-trade rather than Washington accepting the qualifying offer. Yes, you read that correctly.”

The Hornets know if Washington signs his qualifying offer sheet and enters unrestricted free agency next season, he's likely gone, and they certainly don't want that from an asset-management standpoint. Both squads know that Washington will land a bigger contract if he hits the open market, which is why a deal being done sooner rather than later might be best for both parties. 

We've already outlined what a deal between Charlotte and Dallas could look like: 

In theory, the Mavs could trade Tim Hardaway Jr., JaVale McGee and their 2027 first-round pick (as sweetener for the Hornets not only taking McGee, but agreeing to do a sign-and-trade in general) in exchange for Washington on a new long-term deal that pays him around $20 million per year.

And as mentioned earlier, a week ago, that was an unlikely happening. But again, free agency is fluid and things can change over time, so perhaps the Mavs have a better chance at making some noise here than they previously did.

It would make the Mavs better, yes. Washington averaged a career-high 15.7 points, 4.9 rebounds and 2.4 assists last season. He's young, long, physical and talented. In theory, it's a win-win. Dallas gets its guy, and Washington gets to play alongside bona fide All-Stars. The only issue is the lack of a physical deal, as most of the Washington-to-Dallas noise has been just that — noise, speculation. 

Technically, nothing has changed in that regard. But now, the scenario at least has some potential if Charlotte truly prefers to work out a sign-and-trade with Washington. And in today's free agency market, maybe a small sprinkle of potential all it needs to get real conversations started. One thing is for sure: it's certainly something for both parties to seriously consider.

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