Is PJ Washington A Long-Term Keeper For The Charlotte Hornets?

The Charlotte Hornets did not extend forward PJ Washington before the start of the season, making him a restricted free agent this coming summer.

The two sides differed on the compensation, with the Hornets reportedly offering a bit over $50 million over four seasons, and Washington seeking an annual amount of $20 million, or $80 million over that same span of time.

The four-year forward didn’t exactly break out during the final year of his rookie contract, but he did show an ability to take on a larger offensive role, having averaged 15.8 points in 32.9 minutes so far, and having canned 147 three-pointers.

While the uptick in scoring is notable, Washington remains a player with a questionable ceiling. It seems unlikely he would suddenly turn into an All-Star, and a case could be made that this year’s offensive display was in part due to the lack of availability of LaMelo Ball (36 games played), and the fact that Miles Bridges and his 20 nightly points were no longer in Charlotte.

Washington still looks like a reliable borderline starter, or at worst the first big coming off the bench, which will be worth something on the open market. Whether that something is $20 million remains to be seen, but given that the cap is expected to increase by $11 million this summer – not to mention a new TV deal hitting the league in 2025 – it could be argued that overpaying him slightly for the next two years would be fine, as long as his deal comes out looking better after the cap has increased further.

Understandably, the Hornets will first need to take stock of what they have, where they land in the draft, and finally determine where to go with veterans such as Gordon Hayward and Terry Rozier, both of whom make awkward fits with Ball both from a timeline and on-court perspective.

That leaves Washington in a bit of limbo, not knowing whether he’s bought or sold. It’s unlikely any outside team would be willing to break the bank for him during free agency, and with the Hornets having matching rights, this could drag deep into the summer if the Hornets were to play hardball.

Adding another layer of complexity to the situation is the unknown status of the Hornets in general, as the team might soon find new ownership. It would seem logical that a new majority owner would clean house and install his own general manager, which could mean the end of Washington’s tenure in Charlotte. Often new managerial teams will turn over the vast majority of a roster, with the exception of a major star such as Ball.

In a vacuum, however, Washington might be worth close to what he’s asking. Starters, even fringe ones, are usually earning over $15 million per year. That number, for the reasons stated above, will undoubtedly climb, making Washington’s ask of $20 million per year fairly reasonable.

Also worth noting is the fact that Washington will be only 25 years old when next season tips off. There’s a decent chance he won’t yet be a fully finished product, and outside teams could warm to that theory and take a flier on him, if he should become available as a trade candidate.

In short, it’s unlikely the Hornets will ever find themselves in a situation where Washington couldn’t be moved if the situation demanded it.

What the Hornets will need to determine is the fit alongside Ball, who is their primary player. Everything revolves around the ideology of putting the best possible players next to the franchise’s best player, and rightly so.

Does Washington move the needle for the Hornets as a teammate of Ball? If he does, it’s by modest standards. There is value in a floor-spacing power forward who defensively can switch onto both bigger and smaller players, but does Washington do enough of it to justify a large contract, potentially having him clog up a spot that could go to a superior fit?

These are the questions the Hornets must ask themselves before they decide to dedicate a lot of money to remain in the PJ Washington business.

One thing is for certain. Should the Hornets win the draft lottery, Washington should be heavily prioritized as the tough and scrappy player he can be. While vertically undersized at just 6’7, his 235-pound frame would help take some pressure off Victor Wembanyama, and allow the rookie Frenchman to take on smaller defensive assignments.

So perhaps that’s the play, at least initially. Let the draft lottery dictate – in part – the future of Washington. Should the organization reach the conclusion he needs to move on, it would behoove them to locate a sign-and-trade scenario where they get something in return.

That last part is key, as regardless of what happens, the Hornets simply cannot allow him to leave without getting something back in return. That talent level simply isn’t in a place where it can afford a loss in the way of Washington’s skills.

Unless noted otherwise, all stats via NBA.com, PBPStats, Cleaning the Glass or Basketball-Reference. All salary information via Spotrac. All odds courtesy of FanDuel Sportsbook.