Is P.J. Washington in the Hornets' Future?
A couple of months ago, Hornets GM Mitch Kupchak openly stated that a contract extension for forward P.J. Washington would essentially be "put on the back burner" due to the draft, first wave of free agency, and other roster decisions such as trade negotiations that may pop up throughout the summer months.
Kupchak alluded to contract talks with Washington and his agent, Kevin Bradbury, could begin sometime in the summer but would likely carry over to the fall. His current contract runs out at the end of the 2022-23 season. Obviously, he didn't want to say much on the matter but Kupchak was very complimentary of the soon-to-be fourth-year man out of Kentucky.
"I thought PJ took a big step this year. He fit into any role that we laid out there for him whether it was off the bench or starting and I thought he became more dependable. He's been coming in to the building and working out every morning. For a young player, I think he's taking that next step in terms of becoming a professional."
Washington stepped up on both ends of the floor and helped the Hornets win a few games down the stretch by heating up from three-point range and then on a few occasions, made some key defensive plays to help seal the deal.
With uncertainty surrounding Miles Bridges' future in Charlotte, one can assume that Washington will not only see an increase in minutes but that he could become a fixture in the starting five. In his first two years in the league, Washington started 118 of the 122 games he appeared in.
With the addition of Gordon Hayward in 2020-21, former head coach James Borrego chose to leave Washington in the lineup over Miles Bridges. When Hayward went down with an injury, Bridges was inserted into the starting five and has held on to that role ever since.
Washington's name has been circulated in trade rumors dating back to this year's trade deadline and it remained that way through the 2022 NBA Draft. Some felt like he could be included in a package to help the Hornets move into the top 10 of the draft or in an effort to acquire Deandre Ayton from the Suns or Myles Turner from the Pacers.
All that trade talk? Yeah, you might as well forget about it. The Hornets know how valuable of a player Washington is and they're going to need him more than ever this upcoming season. A deal may not get done anytime soon, but once much of the roster has taken shape, I expect Kupchak to begin the negotiations.
This past season, Washington averaged 10.8 points, 5.2 rebounds, 2.3 assists, and 27.2 minutes in 65 games played.
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