Ranking the 5 best shooters on the 2021-22 Charlotte Hornets
By Jason Huber
No. 4: P.J. Washington – Charlotte Hornets – Power Forward
The biggest weakness of P.J. Washington entering his third NBA season is consistency. After a hot start to his rookie year in which he had an NBA debut record by hitting seven 3-pointers, Washington hit a midseason slump that year and then had a bit of a sophomore drop-off.
Washington did improve slightly as a 3-pointer shooter, hitting 38% of those shots, compared to 37% as a rookie. He shot 48% from the field. The unfortunate part was Washington didn’t have as big of a jump as some fans thought he’d have in his second year, but this isn’t about Washington’s overall game. It’s about him as a shooter and he still hasn’t shown anything to prove why he’s not one of the best pure shooters on this Hornets team.
Add in the fact that Washington is a power forward who played center a lot last year, his shooting ability makes him even more impressive. Washington’s best shooting percentage came from within five feet of the basket but he was the most efficient as a scorer 20-24 feet away from the hoop.
Since his days at Kentucky, Washington has always been the definition of a shooting big man and he’s continued to show that in the NBA.
Having a player with similar skillsets like Miles Bridges on the roster could make his opportunities more difficult but Washington can easily be relied upon for a big outside shot.