The Los Angeles Lakers are still without a starting power forward for next season, but PJ Washington of the Dallas Mavericks is one name that’s consistently been mentioned in trade rumors to rejoin his former teammate Luka Doncic.
The Lakers were interested in several trade targets and free agents to fill the hole in the starting lineup, but the athletic 28-year-old Washington could be the perfect fit.
Previous reports have linked Los Angeles to a deal with the Mavericks for Washington, and though a trade hasn’t happened yet, he remains a viable trade target, and the idea of him playing in the Purple and Gold sometime soon can’t be ruled out, especially if Los Angeles is willing to take a big swing to finally get a starting power forward to play alongside Doncic, Austin Reaves, Walker Kessler, and presumably Quentin Grimes.
A Lakers PJ Washington Trade Idea
Despite some reporting hinting at the Lakers not being interested in making a move for Washington due to his contract, his name has been consistently mentioned in trade rumors, and in an idea from earlier in the summer, he lands in Southern California for a price the franchise would likely be more than willing to give up.
Writing for Basketnews.com, here is the Lakers trade idea for Washington put out by Pijus Sapetka:
Los Angeles Lakers receive: PJ Washington
Dallas Mavericks receive: Dalton Knecht, Jarred Vanderbilt, and a 2032 second-round pick (originally from the Washington Wizards)
The Mavericks could use another shooter in the form of Knecht, who is also closer to Cooper Flagg‘s timeline compared to Washington. Additionally, Vanderbilt’s contract lines up pretty close to what the Lakers’ target is earning, and by throwing in a minor draft asset, they could get Dallas to agree to this trade package.
“For the Lakers, the logic is clear,” Sapetka wrote on his trade idea. “Washington would give them a starting-caliber forward who fits next to Doncic, Reaves, Kessler, Sexton, and Grimes. He can defend multiple positions, rebound, hit open threes, and bring playoff experience.”
“Last season, Washington averaged 14.2 points, 7.0 rebounds, and 1.8 assists over 56 games (53 starts) for Dallas. He also shot 32.5% from three, but he is a 35.4% three-point shooter over his 446-game career.”
Dallas still has a roster they put together to complement Doncic when he was on the team, but as they move towards a future led by Flagg, a few of their forwards could hit the trade market, as Washington and Daniel Gafford have been rumored to be on the move and eyed by the Lakers over the past year.
Los Angeles has openly been searching for Knecht and Vanderbilt trades, and if they can get the Mavericks to agree on this deal, it would be a best-case scenario.
Mavericks Forward, Former Luka Doncic Teammate Is A Realistic Trade Target For Los Angeles
Though there was a bit of a halt to the Lakers trade rumors for Washington, they’ve picked back up once again as Eric Pincus of Bleacher Report named him as a top target for the Purple and Gold to go after this season.
The writer even outlined a similar trade package to what Sapetka put out, as it seems most likely Vanderbilt would be involved in a deal if the Lakers and Mavericks could agree on a move sending Washington to the West Coast.
“If L.A. recognizes its need at power forward, Washington is a strong fit as a former Dončić teammate who is a willing role player, defender, and shooter,” he wrote. “The Lakers’ advantage in going after Washington is that Dallas would probably be happy to take Vanderbilt’s $13.3 million player option for 2027-28 to get out of Washington’s longer deal.”
Vanderbilt does have the player option he’ll pick up, while Washington is about to start a four-year, $88 million contract extension, set to earn roughly $20 million this season. However, by adding Knecht to the trade, Dallas could start to build something new around Flagg while also taking the express route to free up cap space sooner rather than later.
Additionally, as John Hollinger of The Athletic wrote, the Mavericks have a problem at the forward position after signing Naji Marshall to a new deal. They could look to move Washington or Gafford sometime soon, and if that is the case, expect the Lakers to be the first to make an offer.
The links between the Lakers and Washington are real, especially considering Doncic’s past with the athletic forward.
If Los Angeles is serious about giving the Slovenian a championship-level roster, they should look no further than the group of players he already made an NBA Finals appearance with.
But for the time being, it’s uncertain how aggressive the Lakers will be in making a big move. They failed to do that this summer, but could revisit someone like Washington before the 2027 trade deadline. He’s someone who fits their hole in the starting lineup and, for the right price, should be heavily considered as atop their list of trade targets heading into the upcoming season.
Lakers Trade Idea Swaps Knecht, Vanderbilt For $88M Wing To Fill Starting Lineup