P.J. Washington is a name who will continue to be of fascination for the Los Angeles Lakers and their fans as long as his old buddy, Luka Doncic, is the centerpiece of the franchise in Hollywood. Alas, the needle is not moving on a potential trade to get the Dallas Mavericks forward to Luka's new team.
Marc Stein dropped a new round-up of rumors coming from around the league. In that info dump, the NBA insider insisted rival teams have not backed down from the idea that Washington is a gettable trade piece in Dallas.
"The perception among various rival teams persists that Dallas would ultimately consider offers for the 28-year-old since its roster features countless forwards of all sizes behind [Cooper] Flagg and [Naji] Marshall."
It is tough to put stock in that outside noise when Washington has consistently communicated his confidence about staying put in the immediate future. Stein even brought up an interview with his colleague where Masai Ujiri reassured P.J. of where he stood. For now, the answer remains: in Dallas.
That being said, there is one nugget in Stein's findings that could be intriguing to the Lakers. However, it serves to set up a pre-deadline trade more than it does anything now.
P.J. Washington remains a future Lakers trade deadline target — at best
Stein did remind everyone how important playoff basketball is for Washington. The Mavs forward has only been on one postseason run, and that was Dallas' trip to the NBA Finals in 2024. Apart from that, the former lottery pick has been largely deprived of that stage.
The Mavericks should have enough talent to push for a Play-In spot in 2026-27. That could ultimately help them secure a chance to go back to the postseason. What happens with Washington's thirst for playoff basketball if that upside is not apparent by the time of the 2027 trade deadline?
That is what interested parties should be asking themselves when it comes to the 28-year-old forward. If you are a squad poised for a postseason run and in need of an upgrade at forward, Washington could eventually prove to be your guy. Does that not sound like the Lakers?
Depending on how well someone like Ziaire Williams or Jake LaRavia plays this season, Los Angeles could still be in the market for a forward by the 2027 deadline. By then, Washington could be staring down another missed chance at postseason basketball. Perhaps that forces the Mavericks to soften their stance on keeping him.
Washington has proven chemistry with Doncic. That much leads the reasoning as to why many in Los Angeles are unwilling to let go of the desire to see Luka reunite with his old support piece. That opportunity does not exist yet. Patience will be important for any hopes of this one coming together.
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