Mavericks' P.J. Washington contract twist makes looming award buzz inevitable

Earlier this week, Dallas Mavericks forward P.J. Washington signed a four-year, $90 million extension with the team to keep him in Dallas through the end of the 2029-2030 season. Mavericks fans are thrilled about this move, as it nails down one of the most stacked frontcourts in the NBA, and since this move activated a six-month trade restriction for Washington, that means that he will remain in Dallas for the entire 2025-26 season.

Mavericks fans feared that he could get moved this offseason, as they badly needed guard depth, but Nico Harrison doubled down on his "defense wins championships" plan by keeping Washington in Big D. Any mock trades that involve Washington can be thrown into the dumpster, and fans' focus should rest upon how he is going to fit into Dallas' core for years to come.

With Washington set to remain in Dallas for the entire year, and likely beyond, he is going to be one of the best bench players in the NBA, meaning that he will be a frontrunner in the Sixth Man of the Year race.

P.J. Washington will be in the running for Sixth Man of the Year

To begin the year, it seems likely that Washington will come off the bench, as D'Angelo Russell, Klay Thompson, Cooper Flagg, Anthony Davis, and Dereck Lively II will be the starters. While he could start, the Mavericks will need Thompson's shooting, and it would make the most sense to start Thompson and bring Washington off the bench. This is a role that will be unfamiliar to him, as he has been a primary starter for his entire Mavericks tenure, but a sixth-man role could be exactly what Dallas needs from him.

Washington already seems fine with transitioning into this role, as he wouldn't have signed an extension if he wasn't, and the Mavs will truly be one of the deepest teams in the NBA once everyone is healthy. When the squad is healthy, the bench will include players like Russell, Washington, Daniel Gafford, Naji Marshall, and Max Christie, and their bench unit could end up being one of the best in the league by the time the season is over. This unit will be spearheaded by Washington, as he has grown significantly as a leader over the last year or so, and he'll be the glue that holds the bench together.

Washington's grit, tenacity, and physicality will give the Mavericks one of the best sixth men that they've had in some time (assuming that he comes off the bench with Thompson starting), and he and Gafford will have the chance to impact the game with their energy as soon as they step onto the floor.

On top of the aforementioned intangibles, Washington's defense, 3-point shooting, and rebounding are bound to help the Mavs significantly, and his play off the bench could end up being one of the most important factors of the season. While his defense and versatility have been his calling cards ever since he arrived in Dallas at the 2024 trade deadline, they are going to need him to consistently produce on offense as well to emerge as a lead candidate for Sixth Man of the Year.

Of the last 24 Sixth Man of the Year winners, none have averaged under 13.5 points per game, so Washington must continue to be a consistent offensive option. His ability to score in the post when guarded by a smaller defender, drive to the rim, and knock down open shots must continue to evolve, and by the time next season ends, we could be talking about P.J. Washington being one of the best bench players in the NBA.

All eyes are already going to be on Dallas thanks to Flagg taking on his first season in the NBA, and while Flagg's arrival may have forced Washington to the bench, it could end with him taking home some hardware to add to his trophy case.