P.j. Washington Rumors | Hoops Rumors

Injury Notes: Ball, Embiid, Edgecombe, Kuminga, Mavs, Kings

November 13th, 2025 at 8:08pm CST by Rory Maher

Hornets star LaMelo Ball is listed as probable for Friday’s game in Milwaukee, tweets Rod Boone of The Charlotte Observer. The 24-year-old point guard, who has missed the past five games with a right ankle impingement, recently practiced in the G League, with head coach Charles Lee expressing optimism about his progress.

Ball, a former Rookie of the Year who made his lone All-Star appearance in his second season, has averaged 23.3 points, 9.8 assists, 7.8 rebounds and 1.7 steals on .430/.333/.815 shooting in six games this fall (33.3 minutes per contest).

Second-year guard KJ Simpson (left AC joint sprain) is also probable to suit up against the Bucks, while rookie center Ryan Kalkbrenner will miss a game for the first time in his career due to personal reasons.

Here are some more injury-related notes from around the NBA:

While there are no long-term concerns about the injury, Sixers center Joel Embiid will miss his second straight game on Friday because of right knee soreness, as Kyle Neubeck of PHLY Sports relays (via Twitter). VJ Edgecombe, the third overall pick in the 2025 draft, is also on the injury report, having been listed as questionable to suit up against Detroit due to back spasms.
Warriors forward Jonathan Kuminga is dealing with bilateral tendinitis in his knee and is questionable for Friday’s matchup at San Antonio, per Anthony Slater of ESPN (Twitter link). Kuminga was demoted to the second unit on Wednesday vs. the Spurs after starting the first 12 games of the season. He played a season-low 12 minutes last night, leaving the game early due to the knee issue.
Three key members of the Mavericks‘ frontcourt are questionable to play Friday against the Clippers, according to Mike Curtis of The Dallas Morning News (Twitter link). Anthony Davis (left calf strain) and Dereck Lively II (right knee sprain) have both missed several games with their respective injuries, while forward P.J. Washington is a recent addition to the injury report — he’s dealing with a left shoulder strain.
The Kings have listed Domantas Sabonis (left rib contusion) and Malik Monk (sore left ankle) as questionable for Friday’s matchup in Minnesota, tweets Jason Anderson of The Sacramento Bee. High-scoring guard Zach LaVine is not on the injury report after missing Wednesday’s game vs. Atlanta with a bruised thigh, Anderson adds. Head coach Doug Christie ripped the Kings for their “shameful” compete level after Wednesday’s lopsided defeat, the team’s fourth straight loss.

Mavericks Notes: Kidd, Harrison, Finley, Riccardi, Washington, Injuries

November 12th, 2025 at 8:39pm CST by Arthur Hill

Mavericks coach Jason Kidd hopes Tuesday’s firing of general manager Nico Harrison will lead to a better atmosphere at home games, writes Brad Townsend of The Dallas Morning News. Fans turned against Harrison after he traded franchise cornerstone Luka Doncic to the Lakers in February, and “fire Nico” chants have been a regular feature at American Airlines Center, sometimes to the detriment of the home team.

“We can only hope that we don’t have to go through that again, because it was a little disrespectful, because the guys are playing hard, they’re trying to win,” Kidd told reporters before the Mavs hosted Phoenix on Wednesday. “Understanding that they got their point across, the fans, but we have to move forward. I understand the healing process for the fans, but these guys are playing hard. Ever since the trade, these guys have given everything.”

Kidd offered a reminder of the dire situation the Mavericks were in late last season, with only eight players available on many nights, but they still managed to reach the play-in tournament. He pointed out that his players are battling the odds again, with Anthony Davis missing his seventh straight game due to a strained left calf and Kyrie Irving still recovering from a torn ACL.

“We’ve got over, I think, $100MM (in player contracts) sitting on the sideline, and we’re still competing, and we’re still in games, and we’re learning how to win,” Kidd said. “So I would hope that we start to get a little credit for that, because these guys, they can hear those things and they feel really disrespected. And it’s hard to keep guys here in this league, when they start to think that the home team is not home — and then it becomes a visiting place. And so hopefully that changes tonight.”

There’s more from Dallas:

Kidd also expressed confidence in Michael Finley and Matt Riccardi, who have been appointed to handle the general manager’s duties on an interim basis, Townsend adds in the same piece. “I think we’re talking about basketball, right?” Kidd said. “And so it’s about getting back to x’s and o’s and competing. The two things that we can control is our energy and effort. Business is just talked about. We’ve got to push forward. We believe that Riccardi and Fin can do a good job, and they will do a good job.”
P.J. Washington, whose acquisition along with Daniel Gafford at the 2024 trade deadline sparked the Mavericks to an NBA Finals run, is sorry to see Harrison go, per Mike Curtis of The Dallas Morning News. “I thanked Nico for what he did for me,” Washington said. “He believed in this group. So do I.”
Kidd also provided injury updates on Davis, Irving and Dereck Lively II, relays Grant Afseth of Dallas Hoops Journal (Twitter video link). He said all three players had positive workout days and are “working extremely hard” to get back on the court.

Mavs Notes: Flagg, Starting Five, Russell, Gafford

October 24th, 2025 at 7:53am CST by Luke Adams

Mavericks rookie Cooper Flagg technically posted a double-double in his NBA debut on Wednesday vs. San Antonio, with 10 points and 10 rebounds. But the No. 1 overall pick shot just 4-of-13 from the field, committed three turnovers (to zero assists), and was a team-worst -29 in a blowout loss to the division-rival Spurs.

“Not great,” Flagg said after the game when asked to evaluate his performance, per ESPN’s Tim MacMahon. “Obviously, didn’t play incredibly well, but we’ve got to move past it, turn our focus and start looking toward Friday (against the Wizards).”

Flagg’s critical assessment of his debut wasn’t echoed by his teammates, head coach, or even his opponents. Spurs guard and reigning Rookie of the Year Stephon Castle told reporters that Flagg was “a lot more poised than I thought he would be,” while Mavericks coach Jason Kidd said he thought Flagg “played within himself” and took what the defense gave him. Kidd added that the former Duke star looked more comfortable and aggressive in the third quarter after going scoreless in the first half.

“I thought he played well,” Kidd said. “Now, the stat line is not going to say that, but no one in this room is sitting in his shoes. As a rookie, he did fine and he’s going to learn from this game. We all will, and we’ll be better next time we take the floor.”

Here’s more on the Mavs:

Despite a blowout loss on Wednesday, Kidd remains comfortable with a super-sized starting lineup that features Flagg at point guard alongside Klay Thompson, P.J. Washington, Dereck Lively II, and Anthony Davis, writes Mike Curtis of The Dallas Morning News (subscription required). The unit was only on the court for six minutes together due to foul issues, but played the Spurs to a draw during that limited sample. “It changes the dynamics of the rotation,” Kidd said of the Mavs’ early foul trouble. “We gotta look at game two if we can stay out of foul trouble.”
When the Mavericks signed D’Angelo Russell in free agency, the assumption was that he would be the starting point guard until Kyrie Irving is ready to return from his ACL tear. However, Russell told reporters on Wednesday that he’s not bothered by coming off the bench. “Be a basketball player whenever I get in the game,” Russell said of his mindset, according to Grant Afseth of Dallas Hoops Journal. “Like I said, it just comes down to winning and finishing the game. However, I can help finish a game if need be — and always impact winning — is my goal as well.”
According to Kidd, the Mavericks aren’t thinking of Russell as their sixth man. “We’re not looking at a starter or sixth man,” the Mavs’ coach said, per Curtis. “He’s going to get enough minutes to help us win. That’s why he’s here. That’s what we believe. We’re not going to label him as a sixth man.”
Veteran center Daniel Gafford (right ankle sprain) is listed as questionable for Friday’s game vs. Washington and has a chance to make his season debut against his former team. As Curtis writes, Gafford is ramping up after missing the entire preseason and did some mid-range shooting, one-on-one defense, and free throw shooting in a post-practice drill on Thursday.
[UPDATE: Gafford has been downgraded to out for Friday’s game.]

Mavericks Notes: Flagg, Gafford, Nembhard, Washington

October 21st, 2025 at 10:47pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Unlike most No. 1 overall picks, Cooper Flagg didn’t wind up with a rebuilding team. Landing on the Mavericks gives him peace of mind entering his NBA regular season debut against San Antonio on Wednesday.

“We’re a really deep team, so I think that kind of takes that pressure off of me to just be myself and not worry about expectations to be like anyone else, but just to be me and help this team win as much as I can,” he told Mike Curtis of the Dallas Morning News.

Flagg believes Wednesday’s opener could be the start of something big for the team this season.

“Just being able to play my first real game obviously, but it’s the start of a great season and great journey with this team,” Flagg said. “I think we have a really good chance to be successful. Just really excited for it.”

Curtis goes in-depth on Flagg’s journey and potential impact on the league.

We have more on the Mavs:

Daniel Gafford, who has been working his way back from a right ankle sprain, is listed as doubtful for Wednesday’s game, according to Grant Afseth of the Dallas Morning Journal. Head coach Jason Kidd said prior to the injury report coming out that Gafford would be listed as questionable. The big man has been ramping up activity after missing all of the preseason.
Another player who had a much different journey than Flagg will make his NBA debut on Wednesday. Undrafted Ryan Nembhard, the surprise breakout player during the preseason, is expected to be in the rotation. He’s on a two-way contract. “He’s steady. Understands how to play the game,” Kidd told Brad Townsend of the Dallas Morning News. “Ryan is a point guard who has set the table in the games that we have put him in a different rotation spot.”
P.J. Washington started regularly the past two seasons but the power forward will accept whatever role Kidd has in store for him, Townsend writes. “I’m just coming in and trying to win, doing everything I can to be successful and to help my teammates be in great positions to win,” he said. “So it doesn’t matter if I’m starting or coming off the bench. For me it’s all about winning.”

Mavs Notes: Flagg, Starting Five, Russell, DSJ

October 7th, 2025 at 10:13am CST by Luke Adams

No. 1 overall pick Cooper Flagg showed off his versatility in his preseason pro debut on Monday, according to ESPN’s Tim MacMahon. The Mavericks forward scored 10 points, grabbed six rebounds, and handed out three assists in just 14 minutes of action, taking on some point guard responsibilities against the defending champion Thunder.

As MacMahon notes, Flagg also showed off his defensive ability early in the first quarter when he stepped in from the weak side to block a Isaiah Joe layup attempt, which led to a fast-break basket for Dallas.

“You got to see the defensive side, you got to see the play-making and then the scoring,” head coach Jason Kidd said. “He was really, really good.”

While Flagg’s scoring and play-making may generate more highlights during his rookie season, the Mavericks are bullish on what he can do defensively, with Anthony Davis suggesting during training camp that his new frontcourt partner can “defend one through five,” as Grant Afseth of Dallas Hoops Journal relays.

“We’re going to put him in situations where you have to guard maybe the best wing — have to guard (Kevin) Durant or Jimmy Butler or these guys,” Davis said of Flagg. “And we have enough confidence in him to go out and send him out there and be able to guard those guys. But he’s also got help on the back line with the other four guys on the floor.”

We have more on the Mavs:

As Christian Clark of The Athletic details, the starting lineup that Kidd used on Monday – Flagg, Davis, D’Angelo Russell, Klay Thompson, and Dereck Lively II – seems likely to be the one the team will deploy when the regular season begins. That means forward P.J. Washington, who started 56 of his 57 games last season, figures to come off the bench as long as the rest of the frontcourt is healthy and available.
Russell made a strong impression in training camp, earning kudos from Kidd for fitting in quickly and being willing to speak up and use his voice despite being a Mavs newcomer, as Afseth writes for Dallas Hoops Journal. The Mavs’ head coach had more praise for the point guard following a preseason opener in which he scored five points and distributed a team-high five assists in 15 minutes of action. “I thought he did a great job finding guys,” Kidd said, per Mike Curtis of The Dallas Morning News. “I thought his defense was really good. Oklahoma City puts a lot of pressure on you on the one-on-ones and I thought he did a really good job defensively … I thought D-Lo did a really good job.”
Dennis Smith Jr. didn’t play in Monday’s game, but Kidd appreciated the intensity the veteran guard brought to training camp, according to Afseth at RG.org. Smith, who is with the team on a non-guaranteed contract, says he appreciates the opportunity to compete for a roster spot in Dallas. “I’ve got to come out and put my best foot forward every day,” he said. “If that happens to be what the team needs, that makes it even better — and it is. So I’m in a good spot.”

Mavericks Notes: Flagg, Davis, Washington, Lively

October 2nd, 2025 at 1:33pm CST by Rory Maher

No. 1 overall pick Cooper Flagg enters a unique situation with the Mavericks, who have two other former top picks on the roster in Anthony Davis and Kyrie Irving, plus a frontcourt with plenty of talent and depth. The 18-year-old forward says he’s going to use the versatility that helped him become an elite prospect, writes Grant Afseth of DallasHoopsJournal.com.

“For myself, it’s just about being me — going through it, not changing for anybody, impacting the game in a lot of ways, and doing whatever I can to impact winning,” Flagg said at media day. “Coach (Jason) Kidd and I have talked about being versatile. We’ve got a bunch of guys who can do a lot of different things, so we want to use that to our advantage.”

Flagg, who won virtually every college player of the year award last season for Duke, is open about his expectations for 2025/26.

“I’d like to be Rookie of the Year,” Flagg said, per Afseth. “As a team, the goal is obviously to win a championship. But like I said earlier, if I stay true to myself and what got me here, the personal goals will work themselves out.”

Four-time NBA champion Klay Thompson believes Flagg has all the right ingredients to fulfill his potential, Afseth notes.

“Cooper can be as good as he wants to be,” Thompson said. “He’s got all the tools — height, athleticism — but what I love most is that he’s receptive to information and he wants to work. When you combine that with his athleticism, he can be special.”

Here’s more from Dallas:

The Mavs only had a 1.8% chance of winning the draft lottery and Davis admitted he wasn’t watching the unlikely occurrence in May. Still, he was thrilled with the outcome, according to Christian Clark of The Athletic. “He’s a hell of a talent,” Davis said of Flagg. “He can do everything on the floor. It was a great moment for us.”
Davis says his goal for this season is the same as it was when he was shockingly traded to Dallas in the Luka Doncic blockbuster in February, as Afseth writes for Dallas Hoops Journal. “Same as last year at my press conference: my goal hasn’t changed. I want to bring a championship here,” Davis said. “We’ve got a good team. The key is health — staying healthy. I’m happy and excited to be here, and I want to win here.”
The 10-time All-Star big man is listed at 268 pounds for training camp, 15 pounds heavier his listed weight last season. Davis says he isn’t concerned, explaining that’s not unusual for him to enter camp above his playing weight because he typically loses 10-12 pounds during the season and is feeling “great,” tweets Tim MacMahon of ESPN.
According to Clark, forward P.J. Washington made it clear he hopes to spend the rest of his career with his hometown team. Washington signed a four-year, $89MM extension last month. “It’s always been home for me,” Washington said. “I’m just blessed to be here. I’ve always wanted to be here. Hopefully, I end my career here.”
Center Dereck Lively II was limited to just 36 games last season after playing 55 contests as a rookie. He’s determined to be available more often in year three following offseason ankle surgery, per Afseth of Dallas Hoops Journal. “I want to stay healthy—that’s the biggest (goal),” he said. “From there, I want to keep growing as a defensive anchor. Be somebody my teammates trust to call things out, protect the rim, and cover for them.” Lively will be on a minutes restriction to start the season and he’s happy with the team’s plan. “Honestly, I just take whatever comes,” the 21-year-old said. “If it’s 24 minutes, 20 minutes, whatever the coaches need from me, I’ll give everything I have in that time. I’m just focused on playing the right way and building myself back up.”

Mavs Sign P.J. Washington To Four-Year Extension

September 11th, 2025 at 11:05am CST by Dana Gauruder

September 11: Washington has officially signed his extension with the Mavs, the team announced (via Twitter).

September 3: The Mavericks and forward P.J. Washington have agreed to a four-year contract extension worth nearly $90MM, ESPN’s Shams Charania reports. Washington’s new deal will run through the 2029/30 season.

The first year of the veteran extension will have a starting salary of $19,813,044, ESPN’s Bobby Marks tweets. That is the maximum allowed — a 140% increase of Washington’s $14,152,174 salary for this season. With 8% annual raises, the total value of the deal will be $88,762,437.

Washington will be ineligible to be traded during the upcoming season once he officially signs the contract, since it will exceed the extend-and-trade limitations.

The Mavericks have been locking up veteran contributors throughout the offseason. They also signed Kyrie Irving and Daniel Gafford to three-year deals — Irving’s begins in 2025/26, while Gafford’s starts in ’26/27.

The Mavericks acquired Washington from Charlotte at the trade deadline in February 2024 and he was a key part of the team’s run to the Finals that season, starting in all 22 games. Last season, the 27-year-old averaged 14.7 points, 7.8 rebounds, 2.3 assists, 1.1 blocks and 1.1 steals per night with shooting splits of 45.3% from the field and 38.1% on 3-pointers in 57 games.

In 390 career regular season contests, Washington has averaged 13.1 points and 5.9 rebounds in 30.6 minutes per game.

Washington will play a regular role in a loaded Dallas frontcourt that also features Anthony Davis, Dereck Lively II, Gafford, and No. 1 overall pick Cooper Flagg.

Southwest Notes: FVV, Adams, Grizzlies, Pelicans, Mavs

September 6th, 2025 at 1:58pm CST by Luke Adams

The Rockets‘ trade for Kevin Durant was clearly the most impactful move of the team’s offseason, but extending Steven Adams and re-signing Fred VanVleet on a more team-friendly deal shouldn’t be overlooked, Danielle Lerner of The Houston Chronicle (subscription required) writes in a preview of the club’s season.

As Lerner points out, both VanVleet and Adams are respected locker-room leaders in addition to providing value on the court and were among Houston’s most effective players in the postseason series vs. Golden State.

After winning 52 games last season, the Rockets appear capable of increasing that number in 2025/26, perhaps to the 55-win range, Lerner writes. However, winning in the playoffs will be the ultimate barometer of success in Houston this season — the team hasn’t won a postseason series since 2020.

We have more from around the Southwest:

In addition to previewing Houston’s 2025/26 campaign, Lerner spoke to beat writers for other Southwest teams within the past week to get a sense of their outlooks for the coming season. Michael Wallace of Grind City Media (Chronicle subscriber link) believes the Grizzlies are capable of competing for a top-six seed in the West after trading away Desmond Bane; Jim Eichenhofer of Pelicans.com (subscriber link) thinks the Pelicans will exceed expectations after having widely been projected as the No. 14 team in the conference; and Eddie Sefko of Mavs.com (subscriber link) forecasts a 48-34 regular season and a playoff berth for the Mavericks.
While the Mavericks‘ new four-year, $89MM extension with P.J. Washington looks relatively team-friendly in a vacuum, it’s unclear how much sense it makes for Dallas, according to Yossi Gozlan of The Third Apron (Substack link), who points to a crowded frontcourt and the team’s increasingly pricey roster going forward as ways the deal could backfire.
The Memphis Hustle, the Grizzlies‘ G League affiliate, acquired the returning player rights for guard Evan Gilyard from the Raptors 905 in exchange for a 2025 NBAGL first-round pick, according to an announcement from the team (Twitter link). Gilyard, who averaged 12.3 points and 5.4 assists per game during the 2024/25 G League regular season for Toronto’s affiliate, is now a candidate to sign an Exhibit 10 contract with Memphis if the team wants to pay him more than the standard NBAGL salary.

Western Notes: Connelly, Washington, Jerome, Beal

August 28th, 2025 at 10:02pm CST by Luke Adams

Timberwolves president of basketball operations Tim Connelly had the ability to opt out of his contract with the team this offseason but chose not to do so, as Jon Krawczynski of The Athletic tweets.

When Connelly was hired by the Wolves in 2022, he received a five-year deal that included an opt-out clause after the second season. He and the team agreed in 2024 to push that opt-out back by a year with the ownership situation still up in the air, but now that Marc Lore and Alex Rodriguez have assumed majority control, Connelly decided not to take advantage of the clause this summer.

Since he’s still on his initial five-year deal, Connelly is under contract with the Wolves for two more seasons, Krawczynski notes. Assuming Lore and Rodriguez are satisfied with the job he has done, the veteran executive figures to be an extension candidate in 2026.

Here’s more from around the Western Conference:

With P.J. Washington set to become extension-eligible on Friday, Mike Curtis of The Dallas Morning News weighs the pros and cons of a new deal for Washington from the Mavericks‘ perspective. Like NBA insider Marc Stein, Curtis has heard that an extension for Washington is likely, though he cautions that the exact terms of the deal remain unclear. Washington would be eligible to receive up to nearly $89MM over four years.
The Grizzlies need elite shooting, two-way play-making, and swagger from newcomer Ty Jerome, according to Damichael Cole of The Memphis Commercial Appeal, who takes a closer look at the veteran guard to whom the team devoted its full room exception.
Appearing on Shannon Sharpe’s Club Shay Shay podcast, Clippers head coach Tyronn Lue pointed out that Bradley Beal put up “unbelievable stats” for the Suns over the past two seasons but was “overshadowed” as the third option behind stars Kevin Durant and Devin Booker (hat tip to Duane Rankin of The Arizona Republic). “I think by coming here, I think it’s a fresh start and I think he’s going to be great for us,” Lue said of Beal, who signed with the Clippers after being bought out by Phoenix.

P.J. Washington Likely To Reach Extension With Mavericks

August 24th, 2025 at 9:00pm CST by Eli Cohen

After Dallas unexpectedly earned the No. 1 pick and the ability to draft Cooper Flagg this spring, the team’s crowded frontcourt has been a popular topic of speculation. In Anthony Davis, Dereck Lively II, the recently extended Daniel Gafford, and Dwight Powell, the team has a number of talented big men. Add in Flagg, Naji Marshall and Caleb Martin as forwards who can play the four, and the rotation quickly fills up.

However, P.J. Washington shouldn’t be considered the odd man out, according to Marc Stein of The Stein Line (Substack link). It’s a sentiment shared by general manager Nico Harrison, who has expressed enthusiasm this summer about the idea of Washington and Flagg sharing the floor together.

Washington will become extension-eligible this Friday, two years after he signed his current contract, for a four-year deal worth nearly $90MM, according to Stein, who hears from league sources that the two sides are expected to reach a deal.

Stein notes that the newly-27-year-old Washington has admirers around the league following a productive season-and-a-half in Dallas, including the 2024 Finals run in which he averaged 13.0 points and 6.6 rebounds per game and hit the clutch free throws that helped the Mavs advance to the Western Conference Finals.

However, due to extend-and-trade restrictions, any extension that includes a first-year raise exceeding 20%, has a subsequent raise exceeding 5%, or adds four new years to his deal would make Washington ineligible to be traded before the 2026 deadline, ensuring he plays out the season in Dallas.

Washington started all but one of his 57 games last year for the Mavs, averaging 14.7 points, a career-high 7.8 rebounds, 2.3 assists, and 1.1 blocks per contest while shooting 38.1% from three.