Swarm and Sting
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How will Charlotte Hornets address wing depth? Part 2

By W.B. Whitted

Jun 21, 2019; Charlotte, NC, USA; Charlotte Hornets president of basketball operations Mitch Kupchak, center, introduces 2019 NBA draft picks PJ Washington, right, and Cody Martin during a press conference at Spectrum Center. Mandatory Credit: Nell Redmond-USA TODAY Sports
Jun 21, 2019; Charlotte, NC, USA; Charlotte Hornets president of basketball operations Mitch Kupchak, center, introduces 2019 NBA draft picks PJ Washington, right, and Cody Martin during a press conference at Spectrum Center. Mandatory Credit: Nell Redmond-USA TODAY Sports /
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PJ Washington is another wing player whose future upon which the Charlotte Hornets will have to decide. Washington will be a restricted free agent, meaning the Hornets can match any contract offered to him by other teams. Washington was drafted by the Hornets with the 12th overall pick in the 2018 NBA draft. The Hornets offered him a contract last offseason, but Washington didn’t accept it. He chose instead to play out the season and attempt to earn more than the roughly 50 million over four years offer he received.

The 6’7 forward has proven to be a reliable three-point shooter even at high volume. He shot 34.8% on nearly six attempts per game. Paired with the right players, he could be effective. It’s hard not to make the comparison with Rui Hachimura and the success he’s had while playing alongside the likes of Anthony Davis and LeBron James. A floor spacer with size can certainly be valuable, is Charlotte in a position where they could use his talents? It’s hard to believe a team that was 30th in offense this season would look to get rid of one of their best and most reliable shooters.

What is PJ Washington’s value to the Charlotte Hornets?

But Hachimura’s value was only obvious when playing alongside future Hall of Famers. Something the Hornets don’t currently have on their roster. And overvaluing players simply because they were originally selected in the draft by the team is a mistake. And re-signing Washington will require a significant investment. If the team is still in rebuilding mode, perhaps it shouldn’t make any long-term commitments to players that haven’t proven that they can play at an elite level.

Washington is one of the enigmas of the league. Take his career-high 43-point game he had against the Oklahoma City Thunder in March of this season. He followed that impressive showing with an eight-point game. Washington tantalizes with talent and frustrates with inconsistency. He will likely be the most difficult free agent decision the franchise will have to make.

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