DALLAS — P.J. Washington said this week that Dallas Mavericks president of basketball operations Masai Ujiri told him he will not be traded. Not everyone around the league is so sure.
Marc Stein of The Stein Line reported Sunday that opposing teams believe the Mavericks will consider parting with Washington at some point. Dallas overhauled its forward rotation this offseason, adding former No. 1 pick Zaccharie Risacher, lottery selection Morez Johnson Jr. and European standout Tarik Biberović.
Washington, 28, is entering the first season of a four-year extension he signed with Dallas last summer. Stein reported that several contenders are expected to express interest in Washington by the trade deadline in February.
P.J. Washington On His Conversation With Masai Ujiri
Washington recounted the conversation in an interview this week with Ron Harrod Jr. of DLLS Sports. Ujiri’s message, as Washington relayed it, was simple: you are the kind of player I am looking for.
“He told me [that] you’re basically what I look for in a player: A big versatile guy that can do a lot of things on both ends of the floor,” Washington said. “He told me I wasn’t going to get traded — and [that] if I was he would tell me. So for me I think it’s just building trust. He’s a guy you can trust and have a great relationship with.”
Washington On His Playoff Goal
Washington said on the first day of training camp that getting back to the playoffs is his biggest motivation, whether he starts or comes off the bench for first-year coach Dusty May.
“For me, my biggest thing is winning. Whether I’m starting or not, I just want to win,” Washington said. “I’ve been on so many losing teams. I’ve been to the playoffs one time in my career. So for me, I just want to turn that around and get to the playoffs and just win.”
Washington’s only postseason came in 2024, when he started all 22 of the Mavericks’ playoff games during their run to the NBA Finals. Dallas finished 26-56 last season and lost in the play-in the year before.
Dusty May On P.J. Washington’s Role
May said last week that Washington is in the mix for a starting spot, mostly because he can play multiple positions. May has used Washington at the three, the four and the five during camp.
“P.J., we’ve gotten a little bit of everything out of P.J. He’s someone that I think can check a lot of boxes,” May said. “We need his physicality. We need his basketball instincts. He’s a quick thinker. Defensively, he knows what to do at all times.”
May added that Washington’s voice matters to a young roster, something Washington himself acknowledged is a transition at this stage of his career.
“For me, I think obviously I’m at the point in my career where I’m a vet now. So my voice means a lot more now,” Washington said. “For me, I think it’s going to be my biggest transition during the year, is making sure I’m off the floor and on the floor for the guys, and just being vocal doing it.”
A Crowded Forward Rotation In Dallas
The Mavericks acquired Washington from the Charlotte Hornets in February 2024. He has started 137 of the 142 regular-season games he has played for Dallas, averaging 14.2 points and 7.0 rebounds in 56 games last season while missing time late in the year with an illness and left elbow soreness.
Washington said at media day that the competition across a deep forward group will push everyone, and he has pointed to the weight room as his main focus after missing 51 games over the past two seasons.
“The biggest thing I really wanted to focus on was the weight room,” Washington said. “The last two years have been tough, me staying on the floor. So that’s all I’ve been worrying about. That’s the biggest thing I wanna do this year is be more happy and be more available for my guys.”
Dallas opens the preseason Oct. 9 against the Houston Rockets at The Venetian Arena in Macao. Tip-off is set for 7 a.m. CT. The teams play again Oct. 11. The regular season opens Oct. 21 at Houston.
