Daniel Gafford arrived for the first three games against the Mavericks and made an immediate impact on both sides of the ball for Dallas, but that wasn't the case for P.J. Washington, who was also acquired at the Dallas trade deadline.
That's not to say Washington played poorly, though, and the 25-year-old forward's length and athleticism show how important he is to Dallas' side defense and rebounding.
PJ Washington has had an incredibly effective start for the Mavericks with a +51, 88.7 defensive rating, and +28.5 overall net rating in his previous three games with the Mavericks. #MFFL
— Kevin Gray Jr. (@KevinGraySports) February 15, 2024
Washington played great defense through three games in Dallas, which was arguably his biggest question mark when he was traded to the Mavericks. So he answered the call from fans and the Dallas front office in that regard.
But Washington looked shaky offensively for the most part, with the exception of his debut against the Mavs against Oklahoma City, where he scored 14 points on 6-10 from the field. To his credit, Washington hasn't featured much in the Mavericks' offense, and Dallas hasn't done the best job of running him off-ball outside of the game against Oklahoma City. Washington is a player who can move dynamically in space when taking the ball off curls or cuts, so Dallas will need to take advantage of his physical tools.
PJ Washington gets lob from Luka Doncic for first bucket of Mavs' career #NBA #MFFL #thunderup
— Courtside Heat (@courtsideheat) February 10, 2024
Washington also has Charlotte's flash shot-creation ability in the midrange, so the Mavericks will at least give him a chance to attack mismatches, even though Dallas already has the league's best shot creator in Luka Doncic. You should give them several one-on-one opportunities. And Kyrie Irving. Ensuring Washington is an offensive threat would mean a lot to Dallas, especially if it could take time for him to find his rhythm with 3-point shooting.
Dallas can't afford to make Washington a one-dimensional 3-and-D wing, so the Mavs will be more comfortable with the system and the Mavericks coaching staff will need time during All-Star break to adjust to Washington. I hope it will last as long as possible. Adding him to the offensive line will likely encourage a different PJ Washington than the Dallas offensive line we've seen over the past three games.
