Suns Have Opportunity To Fill Major Roster Void by Trading for Mavericks' Star Forward

One of the Phoenix Suns' top priorities this offseason should be acquiring a true power forward to play alongside Dillon Brooks.

Brooks, while capable of playing the '4' due to his physicality, is much better suited at small forward. The Suns oftentimes rolled out 'small-ball' lineups during the 2025-2026 season due to a lack of size in the forward room.

One option to fill the void at power forward is pursuing a trade for Mavericks star forward P.J. Washington, who the front office is reportedly open to trading.

"Klay Thompson, P.J. Washington and Daniel Gafford, as we speak, are the veterans that the Mavericks are seen as most open to trading," Marc Stein wrote, per NBA Central.

If the Mavericks are willing to part ways with Washington, the Suns should certainly express interest in acquiring him. The 27-year-old forward is talented in a plethora of aspects on both ends of the floor.

Offensively, Washington can score the ball on all three levels, as he shot 45.0% and 32.5% from three-point range this season. He also doesn't need the ball in his hands to be productive on the offensive end, which is crucial for someone who would be playing alongside a ball-dominant guard in Devin Booker. At just 6-foot-7, he is also a strong rebounder.

In the 2025-2026 season, Washington averaged 14.2 points and 7.0 rebounds in 56 games.

Defensively, he can guard multiple positions, uses his length to his advantage, and is a strong help-side defender. He recorded 1.1 blocks and 1.0 steals per game this season.

By no means does Washington turn the Suns into a title contender, but if the goal is to compete in the loaded Western Conference, he brings them a step closer to doing so. Not to mention, he has experience playing on the biggest stage, as he averaged 13.0 points in the Mavericks' 2024 NBA Finals run.

If the asking price is right, Phoenix shouldn't hesitate to make a trade for Washington.

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Anthony Pasciolla is the publisher of SunsRoundtable. He can be reached via email at [email protected] or followed on X @AnthonyPasci.