We’ve talked at length recently about how the Milwaukee Bucks can acquire a reserve big man as well as fill the P.J. Tucker, big wing defender role. Well, what if they could add a reserve big man that could defend bigger wings and is named P.J.? Seems like a no-brainer!
That’s exactly what The Athletic’s (subscription required) Eric Nehm did in pitching a hypothetical trade for Charlotte Hornets big man P.J. Washington. The 23-year-old hasn’t come up much as one of the common big man/big wing trade targets (Robin Lopez, Thaddeus Young, Mo Bamba, etc), but given his age, would be an interesting trade target.
He’s in his third NBA season after being taken 12th overall in the 2019 NBA Draft, has one more year left on his rookie contract after this season at $5.8 million, and would be rookie extension eligible this offseason like Grayson Allen was when they traded for him this past offseason. That salary fits right in line with what the Bucks could offer given their assets so he’s more attainable from that perspective as well.
The Athletic’s proposed P.J. Washington trade for the Milwaukee Bucks
As I mentioned, the Bucks would be able to piece together a trade for Washington much easier than some of the more expensive options out there (Robert Covington, Young, so on) but as Nehm notes, this also may not be enough to get it done for the Hornets.
We’ll get into that more in a bit but if the Hornets were willing to take this package from the Bucks then it is absolutely something I’d like to see them jump on. It’s also usually a sign that trade is unfair for one side but let’s get into that a bit more.
The logic behind The Athletic’s P.J. Washington trade for Milwaukee Bucks
At 6-foot-7 and 230 pounds, the logic is clear for the Bucks in that they would be acquiring a player who would instantly be the biggest wing on the roster and help defend against Kevin Durant in a potential playoff series with the Brooklyn Nets (aka, the P.J. Tucker role but a bit bigger).
Also, at 23-years-old, he would be someone that the Bucks could keep beyond his rookie contract if he proves to be a good fit.
So, how would Washington fit in for the Bucks?
My ideal pickup for the Bucks is San Antonio Spurs veteran Thaddeus Young because of his size (which is similar to Washington’s) and defensive versatility. Washington, being in his third season, doesn’t have the same defensive prowess as Young, but provides the same defensive versatility while also being a much better offensive fit.
He’s a career 38.7 percent 3-point shooter on over four attempts per game and is shooting nearly 41 percent on the same volume this season. That instantly makes him a solid fit around Giannis Antetokounmpo when the Bucks go small and play him as the center.
Like Young, Washington can also play as a small-ball five and has been that for most of his career with the Hornets. Over the last two seasons, over 57 percent of Washington’s minutes have come at center, and according to Cleaning the Glass (subscription required), Charlotte has been considerably better with him at the five.
That positional versatility would very much come in handy in the playoffs when the Bucks need to unlock their Giannis-at-center lineups. They don’t have a wing or big forward that can reliably fill that role (Semi Ojeleye was supposed to) and Washington would slide right in and fill that easily.
The lunacy behind The Athletic’s P.J. Washington trade for Milwaukee Bucks
I don’t think there’s a ton of lunacy behind trading for Washington from the Bucks’ perspective, especially given the package that Nehm laid out in the initial offer.
Nwora is someone that I’m a fan of, but I also don’t think his value is high enough to acquire a player of significance given his limited playing time and shaky moments when he does get minutes. I feel like if you can’t get someone who absolutely will play in the playoffs for him, then you’re better off holding onto him and seeing if you can develop him into a rotation player.
Getting Washington for him, however, would be a home run. Washington fills an area of need and is still controllable like Nwora is. That being said, I don’t think (as does Nehm) that this is a package that would entice the Hornets enough to move Washington.
While he’s playing fewer minutes this season than in his first two seasons due to the breakout of Miles Bridges, he’s still a valuable floor spacer and switchable defender. The Hornets may look to move him because they’re at a point where they may not be able to pay everyone and will need to make roster decisions around who to keep and pay. Washington could be the odd man out.
But if a 23-year-old big wing such as Washington is on the trade market, there are likely to be better offers than Nwora and Hood out there. Perhaps they could find another package that could work, but unless Charlotte is enamored with Nwora, it’s unlikely that this would be a deal that would move them.
Additionally, Washington’s defensive value is more theoretical than actual at this point. He’s still a young player and doesn’t have the playoff reps under his belt yet and that could be a problem for a Bucks team that needs to win now.
The verdict on The Athletic’s P.J. Washington trade for Milwaukee Bucks
For this package, in particular, it would be crazy for the Bucks not to jump on this deal if it’s available to them. You’re swapping two non-playoff rotation players for a guy that could not only play in this year’s playoffs but also be a key member to their success for years to come.
My argument for a Nwora trade is that it makes more sense to keep a young player that could develop into a rotation player unless you’re getting someone that is guaranteed to make you better right away. Washington would make the Bucks better now and going forward.
However, if they were to have to swap out Nwora or Hood for someone like Donte DiVincenzo then you’d have to start to think about it a little bit more from the Bucks’ perspective. The Bucks know what they have with DiVincenzo from a defensive perspective and that he can guard at a high level. There are no assurances on that end with Washington.
However, that would still be a trade I’d be willing to make as a one-for-one swap given Washington’s shooting, frame, and versatility. You’d have an extra year of Washington as well as the rest of this season and the playoffs to gauge whether or not he’s someone you want as part of your future and is the kind of move that can help extend their championship window by securing a player who fills a very valuable role at 23-years-old.
Washington’s name is a bit of a curveball after hearing the same names tossed around as targets for the Bucks, but he would be a very fun addition if a deal materialized.