A healthier roster and a smaller offensive burden could put P.J. Washington back in the role where he has been most effective for Dallas.
P.J. Washington played 56 games in 2025-26, averaging 14.2 points, 7.0 rebounds, 1.8 assists, 1.0 steals and 1.1 blocks per game before finishing the season with a left elbow sprain. His 3-point shooting dropped to 32.5%, down from 38.1% the year before. He often found himself out of position defensively, guarding smaller wings and guards in lineups that changed constantly because of injuries. He also carried more offensive responsibility than his game is built to handle.
That could change next season.
Kyrie Irving returns from a torn ACL. Cooper Flagg enters Year 2 after a Rookie of the Year campaign in which he averaged 21 points, 6.7 rebounds and 4.5 assists per game. Washington moves back into a third or fourth option role. The pressure of serving as Dallas' secondary scorer disappears. That alone should help a player whose efficiency declined as his usage increased. Also, with new Mavericks head coach Dusty May, it provides Washington with a new opportunity to play comfortably again.
May builds his offense around ball movement, pace and bigs who screen, slip and make quick decisions in the short roll. His teams do not rely heavily on set plays. They initiate actions and react to the defense. Players who pass, screen and move without the ball fit naturally into that style. Washington falls into that category.
At 6-foot-7, Washington screens well, reads ball screen coverages and is comfortable operating as a roll man. When slotted in the right position as a weak-side rim protector, he has shown the ability to contest and alter shots at the rim without committing excessive fouls. The problem last season was that Dallas rarely had the luxury of keeping him in that position.
May also adapts his system to his personnel. At Florida Atlantic, he built around guards. At Michigan, he built around forwards. In Dallas, Flagg and Irving project as the primary creators. Washington's role becomes simpler. Screen. Slip. Finish. The offensive burden spreads across the roster. The defensive pressure eases because Dallas no longer needs its power forward defending perimeter players every possession.
The trade rumors and his $22 million annual salary presents a legitimate question for the front office. Before Dallas decides to move on, the organization should see what Washington looks like in a system designed for players with his strengths and alongside the level of offensive creation he has lacked since arriving in Dallas.
