P.J. Washington must fix glaring flaw to save himself from Mavericks trade rumors

Dallas Mavericks forward P.J. Washington has officially been mentioned in trade rumors for the first time since being acquired by Dallas at the trade deadline in February of 2024, but him fixing his 3-point shooting could be the key in him remaining with the Mavericks. Knocking down open shots is as crucial as ever in today's NBA, and with Masai Ujiri wanting more shooting around Flagg, P.J. has to step up his game if he wants to stick with Dallas.

This won't matter if the Mavs trade him before the start of next season, but if they keep him heading into the season, Washington has to take advantage of his open attempts from beyond the arc early on. After seeing how he shot the ball last season, you'll understand why.

Washington must improve his 3-point shooting to avoid a trade talk

Washington shot 32.5 percent from long range last season, which was just 0.5 percent better than the worst mark of his career. When paired with Cooper Flagg, who shot under 30 percent from three as a rookie, this is nowhere near enough floor spacing in the frontcourt. Dallas was among the worst 3-point shooting teams in the NBA last season, and even though Kyrie Irving's return will help this number rise due to his playmaking and on-ball gravity, Washington has to be better individually as well.

On 2.1 wide-open 3-point attempts per game last season, Washington shot 34.2 percent. The season prior, he shot 38.8 percent on these looks. This is a significant decline for a player whom the Mavericks rely heavily upon to make open shots, and his up-and-down shooting from last season made him a rough on-court fit with Flagg.

This was one of the biggest stories of last season with Washington's play, and it's likely a major reason that Dallas is open to trading the 6-foot-7 wing. Flagg's driving ability, combined with his own shooting struggles, makes it essential that Ujiri surrounds him with strong shooters. Having a $90 million contract tied up to a player who isn't known as a shooter may not be the smartest long-term plan.

Why there's still hope for Washington in Dallas

But if Washington turns back the clock and can knock down threes at a respectable clip, Ujiri and Mike Schmitz could consider keeping the former Kentucky Wildcat. He's still a strong rebounder for his size who provides defense, length, and physicality, all things that Ujiri values historically, and he'd be a better fit with Flagg right away.

Washington needs to improve in other areas next season as well, such as staying healthy after playing in fewer than 60 games in back-to-back seasons, but him focusing on his jumper this offseason should help everything else fall into place. He's known for intently working to improve his shot during the summers, and him regaining his confidence and old form from downtown could make Ujiri and Schmitz think twice before moving on from the seven-year veteran.

Add us as a preferred source on Google

Follow