P.J. Washington is silencing the Cooper Flagg fit concerns

Given that P.J. Washington had a down year from an outside shooting perspective last season, many Dallas Mavericks fans and analysts questioned whether Washington could fit effectively alongside Cooper Flagg, especially since their skill sets and positions overlap to a certain extent.

However, Washington has made these concerns an afterthought through the first five games of the 2026-27 season, even though his 3-point percentage hasn't changed from last season so far. Washington shot just 32.5 percent from outside last season, and has shot 32.3 percent from downtown in five games this season.

Washington has fit well in Dallas' offense despite his shooting struggles

Nonetheless, he's been far more effective alongside Flagg this season, as he's stepping into open looks with confidence more often (even if the shot isn't always dropping), and he's getting back to his bread and butter in terms of his finishing around the rim. Washington has been excellent in post-up and sealing opportunities, and he's been crashing the glass hard on both sides of the ball. He's also been very efficient with floaters in the in-between game.

All that being said, Washington hasn't detracted from the flow of Dallas' offense whatsoever through five games, and he's still due for a stretch where he's shooting better from outside. As many stocks as Flagg and Zaccharie Risacher have gotten this season, Washington has been Dallas' best wing defender from a pure one-on-one standpoint, as he did an excellent job at limiting Giannis Antetokounmpo and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander in Dallas' two most recent games.

Kyrie Irving coming back into the lineup has undoubtedly helped with some of the spacing concerns fans had with Washington and Flagg, and it's hard to argue that Washington hasn't been Dallas' unquestioned third-best player.

Washington continuing to fit this well should make trade rumors subside

There are still 77 games left, so while everything should be taken with a grain of salt right now, it seems increasingly unlikely that the Mavericks will trade Washington anytime soon. At 3-2, Dallas looks serious about competing for a play-in or playoff spot, so it looks more likely they'd be buyers than sellers by the trade deadline.

Of course, much could change between now and then, but Washington's play on both sides of the ball in Dallas' starting five has been one of the more under-discussed storylines, yet he's been integral to the team's success. With Dallas not owning their first-round pick next summer, there's practically no reason to trade Washington unless these first five games from the Mavericks have been fool's gold, and they end up far below .500 by the trade deadline.

Dusty May has also gone small with Washington at the five in many lineups alongside Flagg, which is something Dallas experimented with toward the end of last season. This has given the Mavs some offensive pop against teams with weaker or slower big men and has made Washington even more important to their infrastructure.

Keeping in mind that Dereck Lively II and Santi Aldama have yet to even suit up for the Mavericks, this may not be a wrinkle May continues to exploit as the season goes along. However, Washington's impact has been solid when he's playing his natural position at the four, and he is proving he's a viable part of Dallas' offense alongside Flagg and Irving, despite many initial doubts.

Add us as a preferred source on Google

Follow