Charlotte Hornets: Is PJ Washington comparable to Paul Millsap?

Charlotte Hornets rookie PJ Washington has drawn comparisons to Denver Nuggets veteran Paul Millsap. Is that a fair comparison?

During Saturday night’s win in San Francisco, Charlotte Hornets play-by-play announcer, Eric Collins, mentioned something that I have heard a few times before, which was Paul Millsap being a comparison for PJ Washington.

Are the two alike? Can Washington ever reach Millsap’s level? Well, let’s answer those questions and more now.

I do, actually, think Washington and Millsap are alike. They have similar skill sets that allow them to space the floor and put the ball on the ground on occasion and make a play. They both have good vision and both do a good job hitting the glass.

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I’m not so sure that Washington will ever be on the same level as peak Millsap, though. I mean, we’re talking about a multi time All-Star that played both ends of the floor at an elite rate, while consistently getting his team to the playoffs each year. When he was in his prime, Millsap was dominant.

Washington does have one good thing going for him, and that is the fact that he is way ahead of the curve compared to Millsap when he is a rookie. Washington has been an instant contributor, averaging 15.0 points and 6.7 rebounds while shooting an incredible 50 percent from deep.

Millsap came into the league drafted 47th overall by Utah in 2006, known mostly for his rebounding. He averaged 6.8 points and 5.2 rebounds. He had a different role compared to the one Washington played now, but he was nowhere near as polished.

It took him many years to work on his craft, but in the end, he became one of the best power forwards in the league, and he is still going strong in his 14th season in the NBA and at 34 years old. His game has aged well and adds longevity to his career based on the fact that he doesn’t have to rely only on athleticism.

The one area where Millsap vastly overpowers Washington is on the defensive end of the court. Washington has a long way to go on that end of the floor, but he’s still so young and has all the opportunity to grow.

Starting off as a second round pick who made a name for himself at Louisiana Tech for rebounding, Millsap has blossomed into one of the better all-around forwards in the league for the past decade.

Can Washington have that same success? It’s hard to say. I do see similarities in their games, but him reaching the level of a peak Millsap is going to be crazy tough. Charlotte Hornets fans are certainly hoping so, because if he does, we have a future All-Star on our hands.