Mavericks Set to Give Big New Contract to Starter Who's Likely to Be Demoted

By most measures, Mavericks forward PJ Washington had the best season of his career in 2024-25, even as he struggled with ankle injuries. Washington averaged 14.7 points and a career-high 7.8 rebounds, making 45.3% of his shots and 38.1% of his 3-pointers. Dallas was 31-26 when he played, and 8-17 when he did not.

Of course, the Mavericks figure to be much different as a team in 2025-26, with Luka Doncic traded, Kyrie Irving out with an ACL tear and No. 1 pick Cooper Flagg projected to be a Day 1 starter at forward.

With two spots in the Dallas frontcourt set--Anthony Davis is the power forward and Dereck Lively is the center--Washington is all but certain the odd man out for the Mavericks, with Flagg as the starter. And though the Mavericks could, and maybe should, use Washington as a trade chip to add a point guard, all signs are pointing to Washington landing an extension with the Mavs.

How Much Will the Mavericks Pay PJ Washington?

That's the thrust of a post from veteran NBA reporter Marc Stein, who noted that Washington is eligible for a new contract extension worth almost $90 million on Friday, Aug. 29 and, "League sources tell The Stein Line that an extension for Washington is likely."

Signing Washington, though, has implications that depend on the contract he is given. Teams would line up to trade for him if he were to be put on the market. But if the Mavericks give Washington the full four-year, $90 million deal for which he is eligible, he will not be able to be traded for six months under league rules, which means he would be in Dallas for all of 2025-26.

Which means he'd have to get re-acquainted with coming off the bench behind Flagg, something he has not really done since coming to Dallas in 2023.

Could the Mavericks Make a Trade?

If the Mavericks wanted to sign Washington with an eye toward trading him, they could give him a new deal that starts at no more than 20% of the $14,152,174 (per Spotrac) he is owed in 2025-26. That's $16,982,608.

The Mavs would also have to limit the contract to three years (not including 2025-26) for $53.5 million in new money, $67.6 million total. That's got to be enticing for Washington but a significant haircut from the $90 million for which he is eligible.

The Mavericks are already deep--too deep, probably--with forwards. Flagg is coming in, with Washington having been the starter and with Naji Marshall and Caleb Martin, among others, able to fill the role. Trading Washington makes sense, but unless the Mavericks get him at a bargain number, a trade won't happen until next offseason.