Washington 'Always' Wanted to Stay in Charlotte; Kupchak Doesn't Buy It
It took longer than both sides initially envisioned, but last week the Charlotte Hornets and forward P.J. Washington came to terms on a three-year, $48 million deal.
"For me, I always wanted to stay in Charlotte. There was no doubt about that," Washington said during his press conference Tuesday afternoon.
But before he could finish his explanation for choosing to remain with the Hornets, General Manager and President of Basketball Operations Mitch Kupchak interrupted to give his reaction to what he just heard.
"That's not what your agents were saying," Kupchak said jokingly. "That's the first I heard of that."
"But like I said, I definitely wanted to stay here," Washington continued with a big smile on his face. "It took a minute, but I think everybody's happy and we're glad we're on the same page.
"I was never worried [about getting a deal done]. For me, I was just trying to control the things I could control and that's being in the gym, being a good person, and being a good dad, and just focusing on the things I could focus on. I knew it was going to take a little bit of time. I just stuck with it and stuck to being in the gym."
Kupchak spoke glowingly about the person and player Washington has developed into over the last four years and cites that maturity and professionalism as a big reason why he's been so successful in his role.
"He wants to play and he'll fit in wherever the coach puts him in on the court. He's not a player that says, 'Well, I got to play this position and I got to play so many minutes.' He's versatile enough where you could put him at several positions. He just knows how to play. It's a natural ability."
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