Washington’s versatile leadership anchors the short-handed Mavericks as they battle the Grizzlies in their NBA Cup opener, aiming to break a losing streak.
MEMPHIS — The Dallas Mavericks begin NBA Cup play on Friday night in Memphis, looking to stop a three-game skid while leaning on the steady leadership of forward P.J. Washington.
Washington has quietly emerged as one of the Mavericks’ most dependable players early in the season. Averaging 15.8 points and 8.6 rebounds, he leads the team in minutes played and has become a vocal presence in the locker room as Dallas navigates injuries and lineup changes.
Head coach Jason Kidd praised Washington’s versatility, noting how the veteran’s ability to defend multiple positions has anchored the team’s defensive schemes.
“He’s playing unbelievable,” Kidd said. “He’s been playing at an All-Star level. He’s playing the 5, 4, 3, 2, 1. He’s playing them all, and guarding everybody. He’s trying to help the team win. That’s who he is.”
Washington said he takes pride in adjusting to whatever the Mavericks need from him on a given night.
“I think by just coming out and just being myself and being versatile, I feel like I can play with anybody on the floor no matter who’s out there,” Washington said. “We have a lot of great guys on this team, a lot of guys who are aspiring to win.”
He added that embracing that balance — competing and supporting teammates — is critical for a team still finding rhythm.
“At the end of the day we all know we can’t play at the same time,” he said. “So just being able to cheer a teammate on whenever you’re not on the floor and just having a good attitude I think is going to take us a long way.”
Washington has also taken on a mentorship role with rookie Cooper Flagg, who continues to show flashes of his potential. Flagg, in turn, said Washington’s competitiveness makes him easy to learn from.
“I love playing with P.J.,” Flagg said. “He’s a fierce competitor. He’s always making the right play. It’s been so much fun to play with P.J.”
The Mavericks will enter Friday’s game short-handed once again. Anthony Davis remains day-to-day with a calf issue, while Dereck Lively II is ramping up on-court work as he recovers from a knee injury. Guards Kyrie Irving and Dante Exum are both out, leaving Dallas thin in the backcourt.
Memphis, meanwhile, faces challenges of its own. Ja Morant leads the team in scoring and assists but was recently suspended one game for conduct detrimental to the team after a reported locker room dispute. Jaren Jackson Jr. and Cedric Coward have provided consistent scoring, but the Grizzlies remain shorthanded without Brandon Clarke, Zach Edey, and Ty Jerome.
Friday marks the Mavericks’ first NBA Cup matchup in Group B, which also includes the Clippers, Lakers, Pelicans, and Grizzlies. Dallas will try to bounce back from a 101–99 loss to New Orleans that featured Klay Thompson coming off the bench for the first time in his Mavericks tenure — a move Kidd said gave the team a needed spark.
“When we’ve had a point guard on the floor, it’s been all right,” Kidd said. “I talked to Klay and asked, ‘This isn’t a permanent thing, but can you come off the bench?’ And he was good with it.”
Tipoff is set for 7 p.m. CST at FedEx Forum.