The Mavericks are heading into another year of turnover, and P.J. Washington is right in the middle of the conversation.
Dallas has already overhauled a big chunk of the roster, with six new players on the 15-man group who were not on the team at the end of last season. That includes three rookies and two first-round picks.
The Mavericks have also made multiple trades, and with 16 players on standard contracts, they still need to trim at least one before next season begins. So even after all the movement, more change is coming.
That’s why Washington keeps popping up in trade chatter. But this summer, he’s focused on the one skill that could make him a cleaner fit in Dallas and help quiet the noise around his future: the 3-point shot.
In a recent exclusive interview with DLLS Sports' Kevin Gray Jr., Washington said the first thing on his mind was getting his jumper back on track.
"Just being able to knock down the three ball consistently," Washington said. "Obviously, I took a drop last year. I want to get that back up."
That drop was real. Washington hit 32.5 percent from three last season on 4.2 attempts per game, down from 38.5 percent the year before. For a player whose value swings so sharply with the jumper, that dip matters.
When the shot is falling, Washington can look like exactly the kind of piece Dallas wants around its young core. He brings toughness, versatility and leadership, but the shooting is what changes the equation. If he gets back to being a dependable threat from deep, he becomes a much harder player for the Mavericks to part with.
The best version of Washington was on display in the 2024 NBA Playoffs against the Oklahoma City Thunder. He averaged 17.7 points per game and shot 46.9 percent from three in that series, helping Dallas win in six games. That run showed how dangerous he can be when defenses have to respect him on the perimeter.
It also showed how important he was to Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving as a wing option who could punish open looks.
The flip side is just as clear. When Washington isn’t making shots, defenses are willing to live with him on the perimeter.
That shrinks the rest of his game, cuts into his driving lanes and changes how opponents guard him. It also helps explain why his fit with Cooper Flagg looked so awkward last year, especially with both players at their best away from the ball and Washington missing time because of injuries.
The frontcourt ended up crowded, and the shooting issues only made that mess more obvious.
Washington has a chance to change that story. He doesn’t need to become a 45 percent shooter from deep, but he does need to be more consistent. Over his two and a half seasons in Dallas, he’s a 34.3 percent 3-point shooter, and that number sits at the center of everything.
If the jumper comes around, it opens the floor for Flagg, makes Washington more useful offensively and strengthens his case to stick around. If it doesn’t, the trade talk will only get louder.
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