P.J. Washington has already surfaced near the top of the Los Angeles Lakers’ trade wish list for the 2026-27 season, even though the market for his contract sounds thin.
Bleacher Report’s Eric Pincus slotted the Dallas Mavericks forward second on his list of Lakers trade targets, trailing only Julius Randle of the Brooklyn Nets. Randle is owed $33.3 million this season.
Derrick Jones Jr. of the LA Clippers came in third, and he’s in the final year of his deal at $10.5 million. Jones also shared the floor with Washington and Luka Dončić on the Mavericks team that reached the 2024 NBA Finals.
The catch for Washington is that teams apparently aren’t lining up for him. Pincus said league sources describe the market as “barren,” and he reported that no real suitor is prepared to take on Washington’s four-year, $88.8 million extension before the season begins, including the Lakers.
Still, Pincus noted that Washington could make sense for Los Angeles if the team ends up needing a power forward during the season. In that scenario, his appeal is straightforward: he’s a former Dončić teammate who can defend, knock down shots, and accept a role. Pincus also wrote that Dallas would probably take Jarred Vanderbilt’s $13.3 million player option for 2027-28 if it meant moving off Washington’s longer deal.
The Lakers don’t have much to work with anyway. According to Pincus, they have only one first-round pick swap in 2032 and three future second-round picks available, and they’re also carrying 16 standard contracts while needing to get down to 15.
Dallas, meanwhile, has added depth at Washington’s spot. Pincus listed Santi Aldama, Zaccharie Risacher, and Cooper Flagg, the No. 1 overall pick in 2025, in that mix. The Mavericks also used the No. 9 pick in June on Morez Johnson Jr., and Naji Marshall signed a three-year, $52.2 million extension that runs through 2029-30.
Even with that added depth, the Mavericks have held firm on their asking price. Marc Stein of The Stein Line has also described Mavericks president Masai Ujiri as a fan of Washington.
Washington’s numbers from last season help explain why he still draws attention. He averaged 14.2 points, 7.0 rebounds, and 1.8 assists in 56 games, shooting 45.0% from the field and 68.7% at the line. His 3-point percentage dipped to 32.5% after he shot 38.1% in 2024-25.
In March, then-coach Jason Kidd started Washington at center, and Washington responded with 20 points, 11 rebounds, five steals, and a block in a win over the Cleveland Cavaliers.
Dallas finished 26-56 and 12th in the Western Conference.
For Washington, the focus going into this season is simple: health.
"We'll get a good pick," Washington said. "We'll get Kyrie back.
We get Dereck back and start to build a really great team. We're gonna get a lot better this summer.
Guys will be healthy. Guys will be working together."
"I think it's going to be really good for us to get some time off and time to work together and just see how we look next year," Washington continued. "The future is bright. For us, it's just coming in and being healthy."
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