During the 2024 trade deadline, the Charlotte Hornets unloaded P.J. Washington to the Dallas Mavericks for a package that included a 2027 first-round draft selection. With the Mavs left in disarray under the leadership of recently fired general manager Nico Harrison, the value of the mentioned pick could rise again.
Dallas went from reaching the 2024 Finals, months after the Washington acquisition, to inexplicably trading its former franchise player, Luka Doncic, for a return from the Los Angeles Lakers that consisted of the injury-prone Anthony Davis, Max Christie, and just one first-round pick, which will convey in 2029 and is highly unlikely to be high in the draft order because the look like a perennial contender.
So, it's understandable for most Mavs fans to be mad at Harrison. Even many among the Hornets faithful would be up in arms if Jeff Peterson could extract only one first-rounder out of a possible LaMelo Ball trade if the front office opts to part ways with the star.
Hornets timed the trade Mavs quite well
The reality is that Peterson made a masterful move at the right time, as he understood how valuable Washington would be to Dallas two seasons ago when it was trying to maximize Doncic's championship window. Perhaps the only knock on that deal was that the pick coming from the Mavs in 2027 is top-two protected, and that it would convert into a 2028 second-rounder if they somehow land the first or second pick in the 2027 draft lottery.
There's also the possibility of the Mavs figuring things out under a new general manager and quickly building a title contender around Cooper Flagg by the 2026-27 campaign. In that scenario, it still wouldn't be all bad for Charlotte, as it would then receive a late first-round selection. Given Peterson's ability to find gems late in the draft, that asset should remain valuable.
Besides, Washington was not long for the Hornets anyway, so they deserve credit for transforming the forward into assets rather than losing him for nothing.
Hopefully, though, the Hornets' front office was able to learn from Harrison's disastrous tenure as general manager. Sure, he made some risky moves that paid off, such as bringing in Kyrie Irving and Daniel Gafford, which allowed Doncic to experience making it to the NBA Finals. However, his legacy in Dallas would always be highlighted by his failure to recognize the Slovenian superstar's value and antithetical approach to asset acquisition.