Mavericks Forward 'Super Confident' He'll Remain on Team Despite Trade Rumors

The Dallas Mavericks have a few issues on their hands. They currently have 16 players on standard contracts, and they'll need to be at 15 by the start of the season.

They also have a massively crowded frontcourt, which was exacerbated by drafting Morez Johnson Jr. 9th overall and trading for Santi Aldama. That led to natural speculation about the future of certain forwards like Naji Marshall and P.J. Washington.

Marshall signed a new contract extension a few weeks ago, so it seems unlikely that he'll be going anywhere any time soon.

That made Washington a possible trade candidate, but according to him, he's not going anywhere.

When asked by Kevin Gray of DLLS Mavs how confident he is that he'll be on the roster at the start of the season, he answered, "Super confident. I've had long talks with Masai [Ujiri], our GM, and the whole team. I'm super confident I'll be a Maverick. This is where I wanna be. I'm super excited to be here, and can't wait to get things going."

Washington was a key figure in the run to the 2024 NBA Finals, as the Mavs acquired him for Josh Green, Grant Williams, and a 2027 first-round pick that is top-two protected.

However, the Mavericks trading Luka Doncic, then lucking out and drafting Cooper Flagg, has changed the trajectory of the team's future. Based on last season, Flagg and Washington may not be the best fits on the court.

Washington signed a four-year, $88 million deal last offseason, which is just now kicking in this season. It's a fine contract if he's playing at the top of his game, but he dealt with a lot of injuries last year, and that has his contract viewed as mostly negative currently.

Mar 18, 2026; Dallas, Texas, USA; Dallas Mavericks forward P.J. Washington (25) warms up before the game against the Atlanta Hawks at American Airlines Center. Mandatory Credit: Kevin Jairaj-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

How P.J. Washington Fits With Current Roster

It's tough to find minutes for everyone in the frontcourt unless they play Cooper Flagg out of position again.

Between P.J. Washington, Naji Marshall, Morez Johnson Jr., and Santi Aldama, there are a lot of talented players who may only be playing 16-20 minutes per game.

Johnson and Aldama will likely spend some time at center, but you have Dereck Lively II (if healthy), Daniel Gafford, and Moussa Cisse there. Cisse may not be a key rotation member immediately, but they wouldn't have matched his offer sheet from the Knicks unless they believed in him.

Washington and Marshall could each play small forward, but with Cooper Flagg and Zaccharie Risacher there, it doesn't make things any easier.

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