P.J. Washington was on the Milwaukee Bucks' list of trade targets in recent memory, and a deal was reportedly closer than some thought. Per NBA insider Marc Stein (subscription required), the Bucks "nearly" traded for Washington when he was with the Charlotte Hornets. Looking at how things have gone over the last several years, that stings.
Bucks have been looking for a player like Washington for years
From the moment they foolishly decided to let P.J. Tucker walk after winning the title, the Bucks have been on the hunt for a versatile, defensive forward. It's a problem that is still haunting the team at this very moment. Washington absolutely could have solved that by giving the Bucks a lengthy, athletic forward who would have fit perfectly with what the team was trying to build.
Among a handful of reasons, one of the issues with the Bucks post-title has been the inability to play small-ball as impactfully as they did during the championship run. Tucker was a prominent reason for that success, as he could slide to power forward and guard bigger players as Giannis Antetokounmpo moved to center. For the past handful of years, they've tried and failed to replicate that.
Looking at the timeline, Milwaukee likely nearly pulled off this trade during the 2023-24 NBA season, which is the year Washington was traded from Charlotte to Dallas at the deadline. Rubbing salt in the wound is that Washington helped lead the Mavericks to the NBA Finals that season, while the Bucks were bounced in the first round.
It's unclear why the Milwaukee Bucks couldn't get across the finish line with a deal. It's not like they were not active, as they ended up trading for Patrick Beverley that season. Beverley was a fine piece, but it's not controversial to think that Washington could have been a far more impactful pickup. Perhaps the Bucks wouldn't offer anything equal to the first-rounder and two seconds Dallas did.
Ironically, Washington would still be a great pickup for the Milwaukee Bucks now. However, due to the nature of his contract, he is ineligible to be traded this season. The Mavericks may soon undergo a fire sale, but Washington won't be in the mix. As the Bucks look to add some size, they will have to look elsewhere for help. In reality, they should have locked up Washington a few years back.
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