P.J. Washington is proving he doesn't need Luka Doncic to be a reliable 3-point shooter

As important as P.J. Washington is to the Dallas Mavericks' defense, there were certainly doubts about whether his shooting would be good enough to gel alongside Kyrie Irving and Cooper Flagg. He shot just 32.5 percent from outside last season, yet shot a career-high 38.1 percent from downtown in the 2024-25 season, but his shooting has turned around significantly following some rough outings to start this season.

Many cited this drop-off to Washington not having an elite creator like Luka Doncic spoon-feeding him wide-open looks anymore, but he's proving that he doesn't need Doncic to be serviceable from outside. Flagg and Irving are elite creators in their own right, but Doncic is one of the best playmakers in NBA history, and there's no doubt he helped someone like Washington get easier looks from outside than he ever had in his career up to that point.

P.J. Washington is proving he doesn't need Luka Doncic

However, Washington is proving he doesn't need a generational playmaker to be a solid shooter. Irving getting back into the lineup has certainly helped Dallas' spacing and Washington's shot quality from outside, but Washington has also been taking and making some contested 3-pointers this season, which was rarely the case last season. He made it a point to improve his shooting this summer, and it's paying off in a big way so far.

With how atrocious the spacing was in Dallas' offense last season, good looks were hard to come by, and there's definitely reason to believe many of Dallas' players, including Washington, took a confidence hit in terms of their outside shooting. Dusty May has the Mavericks moving, driving, and kicking at a far higher rate compared to last season, and Washington's shot quality has benefited significantly in this new offense.

Washington has been important to Dallas' offense

If there's anything Washington really needs to hone in on offensively at this point, it's his ability to get downhill and finish at the rim. Washington is shooting just 48.9 percent in the paint, and while his 3-point shot reverting back to the mean has definitely helped his offensive numbers stay afloat, he could definitely improve his finishing.

Nonetheless, he's been Dallas' best wing defender from a one-on-one perspective, and has undoubtedly been Dallas' third-best player this season. Dallas needed this from Washington, considering he's their second-highest-paid player, and his uptick in shooting percentage has been a big reason that he's been as valuable as he has been for this Mavericks roster.

Washington spent much of last season in trade rumors, as many Mavericks fans had lost faith that he could effectively fit alongside Flagg due to their positional overlap. However, there's been no smoke on any sort of rumors like that so far this season, as Washington has been one of Dallas' biggest culture guys thus far and is proving his shooting and versatility are well-rounded enough to be a valuable fixture in May's offense.

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