P.J. Washington's shooting is holding him back from becoming lethal for the Mavericks

P.J. Washington is off to a strong start for the Dallas Mavericks. He's averaging 14.5 points, a career-high 8.0 rebounds, and 0.9 blocks per game through the first eight games, helping lead Dallas to a 4-4 start with wins over the Oklahoma City Thunder and Houston Rockets. His improved scoring average is impressive, as he managed to increase his points per game despite Kyrie Irving returning to the lineup, and the Mavs need him to keep it up.

Dusty May likes how P.J. Washington is playing

Dusty May has liked what he's seen from the 28-year-old forward thus far, praising his ability to step up to the plate and produce despite not receiving much external recognition during a pregame press conference last week.

May specifically talked about Washington's ability to play big or small within different lineups, punish smaller defenders inside with his size and finishing, and his consistency. All of these points are true, but the Mavs need more from him as a 3-point shooter for him to become lethal and take the next step in Dallas. He's shooting a career-low 30.8 percent from three, and this number must improve.

Mavericks' offense would benefit from Washington making his threes

The Mavericks are currently the 15th-ranked offense in the league (112.5 points per 100 possessions) despite shooting 33.7 percent from three (19th in the NBA), and Washington taking advantage of the looks that his teammates create for him will make this unit even more dangerous.

His gravity would become much stronger, allowing Kyrie and Cooper Flagg to have more room to operate inside the paint. Both players love attacking the basket, and having Washington as a reliable floor-spacer within the frontcourt would help pull strong help-side defenders out of the paint.

Washington's shooting has been a rollercoaster in Dallas

Since being traded to the Mavs in 2024, Washington's 3-point shooting has been anything but consistent. Mavs fans know that he's hard to stop when he's knocking down threes, as his 3-point shooting was a key reason that Dallas was able to take down Oklahoma City in the second round of the 2024 NBA Playoffs, but they also know how things can look when he isn't knocking down open shots.

Washington's 3-point percentage has dipped in each of the last two seasons after knocking down 38.1 percent of his attempts during his first full season in Dallas, and his shooting has been especially concerning this season.

Washington is getting open looks but isn't cashing them in

Irving and Flagg's gravity is helping create great looks for Washington, as he's shooting a team-high 3.4 open threes per game, but he's making just 22.2 percent of them. That ranks third-worst on the team, with Flagg and Morez Johnson Jr. (who has shot one open three all season) being worse.

If Washington can start making these looks, Dallas' offense will be much more dynamic. Defenses will be forced to close out much harder on him, allowing him to attack closeouts and get into the paint. He's a good finisher through contact, and his jumper becoming more consistent will help him become a much more well-rounded player.

P.J. is the third-leading scorer behind Kyrie and Coop, showing that his production has been valuable, and it's impressive that he can put up these numbers without making a high percentage of his threes. This has been the swing skill that has held him back in Dallas, and he could emerge as the Mavs' solidified third option they need if he can take the next step and become a strong shooter.

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