Mavericks coach Jason Kidd pinpoints the next step in $46,500,000 forward's evolution: "Don’t always look for Luka or Kai"
Dallas Mavericks coach Jason Kidd on Friday reflected on P.J. Washington's development and the next step in his evolution ahead of the 2024-25 NBA season. Washington, who joined Dallas mid-season last year, made an immediate impact and played a key role in the Mavericks' run to the NBA Finals. He established himself as the third option behind Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving.
Coach Jason Kidd expects P.J. Washington to continue building on his strong finish from last season, contributing with his versatile skill set. Kidd emphasized the importance of Washington using his abilities to push the ball up the court after grabbing rebounds, rather than always relying on Doncic and Irving to initiate plays for the team.
"The next step is for him to be able to bring the ball up," Kidd told reporters. "Get the rebound & don’t always look for Luka or Kai. We trust that he can playmake too, so we look for him to have the season he had last year & build from there."
Throughout his six NBA seasons, P.J. Washington has not been much of a facilitator, often relying on his point guards to create opportunities for him. He averages just 2.2 assists per game over his career, and in 29 games with the Mavericks last season, he averaged only 1.5 assists per game.
While Coach Kidd wants Washington to take on more responsibility in initiating plays, it’s unlikely he will do so frequently, largely due to the presence of Doncic, who typically controls the action on the offensive side of the floor for the Mavericks.
Washington, who signed a 3-year, $46.5 million contract with the Charlotte Hornets in 2023, is expected to be a major contributor this season, especially with the addition of four-time NBA champion Klay Thompson. While Doncic and Irving will lead the team's title pursuit, the Mavericks' success will largely depend on how players like Washington perform, particularly in a highly competitive Western Conference.
P.J. Washington relishing the chance to win NBA title
For the first five-and-a-half years of his career, P.J. Washington didn’t have much to play for with the Charlotte Hornets. Now, with a real opportunity to win his first NBA title, the 26-year-old is putting in the work behind the scenes to help his team secure the Larry O'Brien Trophy.
"It's exciting," Washington said on Media Day while speaking on the opportunity to play for the NBA title.
"It woke me up each and every morning. I was excited to get to the gym and get 1% better every day. Obviously, that's our end goal, and we can't wait to get there," he added.
In last year's playoffs, Washington appeared in 22 games, averaging 13 points on 42.7% shooting from the field and 34.8% from three-point range. His playoff performance was a marked improvement over his regular season numbers, and the Mavericks will be counting on the young star to continue delivering in high-pressure situations.