Mavericks' P.J. Washington Provides Clarity on Offseason Trade Rumors

Masai Ujiri let P.J. Washington know where he stood within the franchise.

Jan 24, 2026; Dallas, Texas, USA; Dallas Mavericks forward P.J. Washington (25) warms up before the game between the Mavericks and the Lakers at the American Airlines Center. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The Dallas Mavericks had a busy offseason, completely revamping their front office, coaching staff, and some of the roster. They're still a little overloaded in the frontcourt, which had people wondering if they would do anything to open some space.

One player that teams have kept an eye on is forward P.J. Washington, as he is entering the first season of a four-year, $88 million contract. However, the Mavericks have decided to hang on to Washington for the time being.

Washington addressed the trade rumors in a one-on-one interview with DLLS Mavs, where he said new team president Masai Ujiri didn't plan on trading him.

"He told me [that] you're basically what I look for in a player: A big versatile guy that can do a lot of things on both ends of the floor," Washington said to DLLS. "He told me I wasn't going to get traded — and [that] if I was he would tell me. So for me I think it's just building trust. He's a guy you can trust and have a great relationship with."

Washington is the exact type of player Ujiri started to seek out in Toronto, while he was still the team president there. They also became too wing-heavy, but that's the archetype Ujiri loves to have on his team.

There are still some questions about Washington's fit with Cooper Flagg, as it didn't always look the cleanest last season, but the Mavericks also didn't have the capable playmaking needed to make everyone comfortable.

With Kyrie Irving back in the fold, the hope is that everyone looks much more comfortable offensively.

Sep 25, 2026; Dallas, TX, USA; Dallas Mavericks forward P.J. Washington (25) poses for a photo during the Mavericks media day at American Airlines Center. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Could P.J. Washington Still Be Traded at Some Point?

With how limited the Mavericks are with their future draft capital, they need to explore options to trade anyone not named Cooper Flagg, essentially.

They've held off on trade talks for Kyrie Irving, but they could be letting him recuperate some value before re-evaluating any future trade.

Part of the equation is about Washington's value, as his contract could be seen as a little expensive, especially given his recent production. He's faced some ankle injuries over the last few years that have limited his effectiveness.

The Mavericks have a lot of options at power forward, including rookie Morez Johnson Jr., who was selected 9th overall. With that kind of investment, you would think that they'd want to pivot to him at some point down the road.

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