Jason Kidd making key change for Mavericks will make P.J. Washington elite

The Mavericks traded Grant Williams, Seth Curry, and their 2027 first-round pick to the Charlotte Hornets for P.J. Washington near the 2024 trade deadline. The trade was an instant success, as Washington’s rebounding and defensive ability proved to be what the Mavs were missing before their 2024 NBA Finals run.

Washington has a unique offensive game that had synergy with Mavericks’ stars Kyrie Irving and Luka Doncic. He used his strength and inside scoring ability to attack mismatches and poor closeouts. Washington can also catch fire from beyond the arc, as seen in the second round of the 2024 Playoffs against the Thunder.

After Doncic was traded to the Los Angeles Lakers, Washington became the Mavericks’ primary scoring option on the wing. Washington thrived as a scorer following the trade, increasing his 2-point shooting clip from 47% to 56%. However, this scoring leap relied on Washington being used as a shot creator rather than a play finisher. Washington created many of these shots in isolation from the top of the key.

Washington should be moved to an off-ball role to salvage the 2024 trade

This change in responsibility resulted in increased turnovers and fewer rebounds. The duality of Washington's new role was on full display in a close win against the Pistons in March. Washington scored 27 points on elite efficiency with 9 turnovers and 3 rebounds, a third of his average before the Doncic trade. For Dallas to find playoff success with this roster, Washington must excel as a scorer without sacrificing the other qualities that make him a critical roster piece.

Washington, standing at 6-foot-7, 230 pounds, has spent the majority of his career at a power forward, Anthony Davis’s preferred position. Early in his career, he was subject to Charlotte’s unsuccessful experiment playing him as a small-ball center. His position as a 4/5 reflects his offensive game as a talented play finisher capable of scoring inside and from downtown.

Despite his shot-creating limitations, Washington has an elite offensive game if you can get him involved off-ball. As a cutter and screener, Washington uses his inside scoring ability to exploit defensive holes created by the offense. When creators like Irving and Davis drew defensive attention, Washington converted an impressive 40 percent of his spot-up threes. When he finds a mismatch, P.J. is excellent at leveraging his size and strength to bully them in the post.

To remain competitive in a brutal Western Conference, Jason Kidd must work to redefine Washington’s offensive role. Kidd must reckon with the fact that two of his starters, Davis and Washington, are modern power forwards who have similar offensive play-styles.

Davis and Washington have interesting potential to develop a two-man game. Davis' post-ups demand defensive attention, which opens up high-low post opportunities for Washington as a cutter or lurking in the dunker’s spot. Davis also showed flashes of improved pick-and-roll ball handling ability with the Lakers this season. He quadrupled his volume in this role and went from the 53rd to the 94th percentile in efficiency. Washington’s ability off the roll or pop can help Davis take another step as an on-ball creator, opening up opportunities for Washington and the rest of the Mavericks’ offense.

When Irving returns from injury (and assuming he remains a Maverick this offseason), Washington can use his ability to score as a screener with Irving as he has done in the past. Kidd should look to highlight Washington as a cutter and in actions with other off-ball scoring threats, such as Klay Thompson.

Now that Doncic is no longer a Maverick, the 2027 first-round pick the Mavericks traded to get Washington is a much more attractive pick. In the 2026-27 season, Irving and Anthony Davis will be turning 35 and 34, potentially limiting the success the Mavericks can have. If Washington cannot help the Mavs find success before then, the decision to trade that pick will be remembered as a mistake.