Washington went from playing for a struggling Hornets team to reaching the NBA Finals with the Mavericks after being traded from Charlotte to Dallas before the February deadline. Washington performed well for Dallas, averaging 11.7 points, 6.2 rebounds, 1.5 assists and 1.2 steals in 32.2 minutes during the regular season, and he was even better in the playoffs, where he notched 13.0 points, 6.6 rebounds, 1.4 assists and a combined 1.5 steals-plus-blocks per game. However, he only shot 42.7 percent from the field and 34.8 percent from three-point range, so he couldn't be counted on for efficiency. His starting role in the Mavericks' frontcourt is not under any sort of threat, but don't expect him to be a go-to player on offense, as Dallas will probably rely on Luka Doncic, Kyrie Irving and Klay Thompson to contribute in the scoring column. Washington should average double-digit points again and have decent upside as a forward option across all formats. Still, he figures to be more of a complementary piece rather than a dominant fantasy performer. He should have a decent floor for the forward position, particularly due to his defensive contributions, but he doesn't have a lot of upside in an offensive scheme where he'll play a secondary role. Read Past Outlooks
$Signed a three-year, $46.5 million contract with the Hornets in August of 2023. Traded to the Mavericks in February of 2024.
Personal Bio/PreCareer Summary
Paul Jamaine Washington Jr. was born in 1998 in Dallas to Paul Sr. and Sherry Washington. Both parents played college ball at Middle Tennessee State. Washington attended the local Prime Prep Academy as a freshman and posted 8.0 points and 5.0 rebounds per game. He transferred to Findlay Prep in Nevada as a sophomore and averaged 10.0 points and 7.0 rebounds. Those numbers jumped in his junior year to 16.8 points, 9.5 rebounds and 4.0 assists. Washington saved the best for his senior season by recording 19.6 points, 9.4 rebounds, and 6.3 assists per game on a team that reached the national semifinals. Thanks to his outstanding achievements, he was honored as a McDonald's All-American, a Jordan Brand Classic All-Star and a USA Today First-Team All-USA Nevada Player of the Year. Washington has also represented the USA at such events as the 2015 FIBA 3x3 U-18 World Championship, the 2016 FIBA Americas U-18 Championship and the 2017 FIBA U-19 World Cup. You can follow him on Twitter (@PJWashington) and Instagram (@pj_washington). It can be difficult for first-year players to stand out at Kentucky. Coach John Calipari is not shy about attracting big groups of top recruits. Washington was part of a class which included Kevin Knox and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. He had a solid freshman season with averages of 10.8 points and 5.7 rebounds. He closed the regular season by scoring in double digits in six straight games, including a double-double of 13 points and 10 rebounds in a win at Arkansas. Washington was even better in the NCAA Tournament with 13.7 points and 8.3 rebounds as the Wildcats advanced to the Sweet 16. The forward had 18 points and 15 rebounds in the loss to Kansas State. Following the season, he had surgery on his pinkie finger. Washington was the Wildcats' best player as a sophomore. He averaged 15.2 points and 7.5 rebounds. He had nine double-doubles and scored a career-high 29 points with 12 rebounds in a December loss to Seton Hall. Washington concluded his Kentucky career by putting up 28 points and 13 rebounds in the loss to Auburn in the 2019 Big Dance. After dipping his toe into the NBA water before returning for his sophomore season, the forward made himself eligible for the 2019 NBA Draft. The Hornets selected him with the 12th overall pick.
Struggles in Game 5 loss
FDallas Mavericks
June 18, 2024
Washington ended Monday's 106-88 loss to Boston in Game 5 of the NBA Finals with four points (2-7 FG, 0-5 3Pt), six rebounds, three assists and two blocks across 34 minutes.
ANALYSIS Washington produced one of his worst games of the playoffs in Game 5. Overall, he was a key part of Dallas' starting five, averaging 13.0 points, 6.6 rebounds, 1.4 assists, 0.8 blocks and 0.7 steals in 22 starts. The Mavericks acquired the 25-year-old at the trade deadline, and he averaged 11.7 points, 6.2 rebounds, 1.5 assists, 1.2 steals and 0.9 blocks across 29 regular-season games. Dallas has Washington under contract until the 2026-27 season and will look to return to the NBA Finals next season, likely keeping most, if not all, of their core group from this season.
2023 NBA Per Game Split Stats - Starting/Off Bench
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2023 NBA Per Game Split Stats - Days Rest
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Advanced Stats
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Stat Review
How does P.J. Washington compare to other players?
This section compares his stats with all players from the previous three seasons (minimum 200 minutes played)*. The bar represents the player's percentile rank. For example, if the bar is halfway across, then the player falls into the 50th percentile for that stat and it would be considered average.
True Shooting %
An advanced statistic that measures a player's efficiency at shooting the ball that takes field goal percentage, free throw percentage, and three point percentage into account.
Effective Field Goal %
A statistic that adjusts field goal percentage to account for the fact that three-point field goals count for three points while field goals only count for two points.
3-Point Attempt Rate
Percentage of field goal attempts from three point range.
Free Throw Rate
Number of free throw attempts per field goal attempt.
Offensive Rebound %
An estimate of the percentage of available offensive rebounds a player grabbed while they were on the floor.
Defensive Rebound %
An estimate of the percentage of available defensive rebounds a player grabbed while they were on the floor.
Total Rebound %
An estimate of the percentage of available rebounds a player grabbed while they were on the floor.
Assist %
An estimate of the percentage of teammate field goals a player assisted while they were on the floor.
Steal %
An estimate of the percentage of opponent possessions that end with a steal by the player while they were on the floor.
Block %
An estimate of the percentage of opponent two-point field goal attempts blocked by the player while they were on the floor.
Turnover %
An estimate of turnovers committed per 100 plays.
Usage %
An estimate of the percentage of team plays used by a player while they were on the floor.
Fantasy Points Per Game
NBA Fantasy Points Per Game.
Fantasy Points Per Minute
NBA Fantasy Points Per Minute.
True Shooting %
52.2%
Effective Field Goal %
50.8%
3-Point Attempt Rate
56.0%
Free Throw Rate
16.9%
Offensive Rebound %
3.8%
Defensive Rebound %
17.2%
Total Rebound %
10.5%
Assist %
6.2%
Steal %
1.6%
Block %
2.5%
Turnover %
7.5%
Usage %
0.0%
Fantasy Points Per Game
26.6
Fantasy Points Per Minute
0.8
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Total
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Per 36
NBA Historical Fantasy Stats
How are these ratings calculated?
Our historical fantasy ratings are standard scores calculated using 8-Category settings with 12 teams and 13 players per team.
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NBA Per Game Historical Fantasy Stats
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NBA Per 36 Historical Fantasy Stats
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Historical ADP
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Mavericks Depth Chart
Our full team depth charts are reserved for RotoWire subscribers.
Average Fantasy Points are determined when P.J. Washington was active vs. non-active during the season. Click here to view average fantasy points for a different time period.
Minutes
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Past Fantasy Outlooks
2023
2022
2021
2020
2019
After finally coming to terms on a new three-year deal with the Hornets following a stalemate in negotiations, Washington has a home for the 2023-24 season. He finished as a top 100 player during the 2022-23 season, averaging 15.7 points, 4.9 rebounds, 0.9 steals, 1.1 blocks and 2.0 three-pointers in 32.6 minutes per night. Although he has basically been a top-100 asset for the past three years, his role figures to take a bit of a hit this season. Miles Bridges will return to the lineup, while Mark Williams will play as the starting center. With Brandon Miller and Gordon Hayward also figuring to see ample playing time, Washington's opportunities could be scaled back a little. He should still see upwards of 25 minutes on most nights, which could make him valuable in standard leagues, though mostly as a streamer. The bigger impact could come when analyzing Miller's short-term upside. It is not clear exactly what the starting lineup will look like once Bridges returns from his 10-game suspension. Until we are given some clarity, managers can view Washington as a potential last-round flier.
After opening his NBA career with consecutive solid campaigns, Washington took a small step back last season, posting his lowest per-game averages of 10.3 points and 5.2 rebounds. His other numbers -- 2.3 assists, 1.7 three-pointers, 0.9 blocks and 0.9 steals -- remained steady, but it certainly wasn't the breakout campaign one might hope for from a young player in his third season. Context matters, of course, and it is vital in Washington's case, as he spent much of the season adjusting to a new role as a reserve after starting in all but four of his first 122 NBA contests. The Kentucky product moved to the bench for the start of the campaign to make room for Miles Bridges, though Washington returned to a starting role for each of Charlotte's contests from Feb. 15 onward. With Bridges' NBA future in serious doubt following an offseason arrest on multiple felony charges of domestic violence, Washington appears poised to open next season back in the starting unit, which should allow him to build upon what has been an impactful-but-unspectacular opening to his professional career. Washington isn't going to carry fantasy squads in any one category, but he does multiple things well enough to make him a worthwhile target in the back half of upcoming drafts.
Washington made marginal improvements from his rookie to sophomore season. It wasn't a significant jump, though it was enough for him to go from 141st in per-game production as a rookie to 79th last year. The 6-foot-7 power forward and small-ball center saw 30.5 minutes per game and averaged 12.9 points, 6.5 rebounds, 2.5 assists and 2.3 combined blocks-plus-steals. He ranked an impressive 14th in the NBA in block percentage (4.0). He's quietly establishing himself as a quality three-and-D option in the frontcourt. He'll also often be at the receiving end of easy makes around the basket by virtue of having LaMelo Ball as his point guard, which should keep Washington's field-goal percentage relatively high compared to the percentage of his shots that come from beyond the arc (39%). He shot 44.0 percent from the field last year. Washington's role shouldn't change much in 2021-22. The addition of Kelly Oubre could make the rotation at forward a little more complicated, but Washington should essentially be locked into 24 minutes per game at center, splitting time with Mason Plumlee.
The 12th pick in the 2019 NBA Draft was a pleasant surprise for fantasy managers and one of the most impactful rookies in his class. Washington burst onto the scene in his first game as a pro, racking up 27 points in a 126-125 win over Chicago that proved to be his highest-scoring game of the season. Bringing some production to a depleted frontcourt, Washington averaged 30.3 minutes across 58 contests and started in all but one game in which he appeared. The Kentucky product averaged 12.2 points, 5.4 boards, 2.1 assists and 1.5 threes, showing his ability to contribute across multiple categories. He shot a respectable 45.5 percent from the field and 37.4 from deep, though he sunk just 64.7 percent of his shots from the charity stripe, which dinged his value in category leagues. The productive season earned Washington an All-Rookie Second Team selection, and he'll look to take the next step forward in 2020-21, where he should be a late-round selection in most fantasy drafts.
Washington was selected No. 12 overall by the rebuilding Charlotte Hornets in this year's draft. The Kentucky product averaged 15.2 points, 7.5 rebounds and 2.0 combined blocks/steals as a sophomore last season, where he made an impact on both ends of the court, especially in the paint. Washington found his way to the lottery thanks to his versatility as a defender and scorer, being selected just ahead of teammate Tyler Herro. With longtime superstar Kemba Walker and scoring option Jeremy Lamb both gone this offseason, Charlotte is in the conversation for the worst roster in the NBA, and a full rebuild should mean extra playing time for rookies such as Washington. It's unclear what his role will be this season, but he has sleeper value playing on a team with minutes and opportunities up for grabs to whoever will take them.
More Fantasy News
Comes close to double-double
FDallas Mavericks
June 13, 2024
Washington finished with 13 points (3-9 FG, 3-6 3Pt, 4-6 FT), eight rebounds and two assists across 39 minutes during Wednesday's 106-99 loss to the Celtics in Game 3 of the NBA Finals.
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Gets offense going inside arc
FDallas Mavericks
June 10, 2024
Washington notched 17 points (6-13 FG, 1-5 3Pt, 4-4 FT), seven rebounds, one assist and one block across 40 minutes during Sunday's 105-98 loss to Boston in Game 2 of the NBA Finals.
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Sniffs double-double in Game 1 loss
FDallas Mavericks
June 6, 2024
Washington closed Thursday's 107-89 loss to the Celtics in Game 1 of the NBA Finals with 14 points (5-11 FG, 0-3 3Pt, 4-6 FT), eight rebounds and one assist over 36 minutes.
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Comes close to double-double
FDallas Mavericks
May 27, 2024
Washington chipped in 16 points (5-10 FG, 2-6 3Pt, 4-4 FT), eight rebounds and two assists across 40 minutes during Sunday's 116-107 win over the Timberwolves in Game 3 of the Western Conference Finals.
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Keeps scoring run alive
FDallas Mavericks
May 14, 2024
Washington accumulated 21 points (7-19 FG, 5-11 3Pt, 2-4 FT), 12 rebounds and one block over 41 minutes during Monday's 100-96 loss to the Thunder in Game 4 of the Western Conference Semifinals.
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Latest Fantasy Rumors
Deadly from three-point range
FDallas Mavericks
May 23, 2024
Washington has been deadly from three-point range in the playoffs, and his efficiency has risen almost nine points compared to the regular season, Mo Dakhil of Bleacher Report observes.
ANALYSIS Washington shot 31.4 percent from three-point range during the regular season, but he's raised that mark to 39.3 percent in the playoffs. His rise to become a reliable three-point threat and Dallas' third-best player on offense behind Kyrie Irving and Luka Doncic has played a huge role in Dallas' rise all the way to the Western Conference Finals.