Los Angeles may like the fit, but the latest report says a real pursuit has not developed.
The Lakers have spent the offseason changing the roster around Luka Doncic, and because PJ Washington played with him in Dallas, it is easy to understand why fans would connect Washington to Los Angeles.
He has the size to defend bigger forwards, he rebounds well enough to help a smaller lineup, and he can play without needing the ball, but a logical fit is not proof that a trade is being discussed.
Interest From Reality
Jake Fischer said on Bleacher Report that he had not heard about meaningful talks between the Lakers and Mavericks involving Washington, and his report placed some needed distance between an offseason idea and an actual negotiation.
Fischer said, “I really don't have any inclination that the Lakers have had trade talks about either of those guys of real consequence this offseason.”
Washington averaged 14.2 points and 7.0 rebounds last season, and while those numbers would help the Lakers, his 32.5 percent shooting from three also shows that the fit would not solve every issue.
Los Angeles needs defenders around Doncic and Austin Reaves, but it also needs enough shooting to keep the floor open, so Washington would be a useful addition rather than a perfect answer.
The Lakers are also carrying 16 players on standard contracts, and that means another player would likely have to leave before Washington could arrive.
Dallas would need a reason to help a conference opponent built around its former star, and Washington's contract runs through the 2029-30 season, so the cost would involve both trade assets and long-term money.
The Lakers Can Afford to Be Patient
Doncic averaged 33.5 points, 8.3 assists, and 7.7 rebounds in 64 games last season, and the Lakers now have to build a dependable rotation around that production without spending every remaining asset on the first name that becomes available.
They have already added Walker Kessler, Quentin Grimes, Collin Sexton, and other rotation pieces, so the team will look much different before training camp has even started.
There is still a need for another wing who can defend, and Matisse Thybulle already signed with Los Angeles, but the Lakers do not have to force a Washington deal to address it.
If the new guards defend well, Kessler protects the middle, and the younger wings handle larger roles, Los Angeles may find that its biggest needs look different once the group starts playing together.
A roster with this many new players may need time before the front office knows which combinations can be trusted in difficult games.
Waiting also keeps the front office from solving a problem that may look different once the rotation begins to take shape.
Washington would give the Lakers toughness, rebounding, and another player familiar with Doncic, but Fischer's report is the most important part of this story because it says that no serious pursuit has developed.
Unless Dallas changes its position or Los Angeles decides the price is worth paying, Washington should remain a possible fit rather than an expected addition, and patience gives the Lakers time to learn what this new roster actually needs.
