Re-Signed: The PJ Washington Jr. Thread (3yrs/$48m)

[HornetJail]

he have to be trying to get him around 14-15 or something if he's asking for 20 and we're way off.

I think PJ winds up getting a contract right around his cap hit of $17.4M. I'd be perfectly fine with that deal. I'm not convinced he's worth more than that, but don't blame him one bit for trying to get it.

I'm nowhere near as worried about PJ taking the QO, because this past season was literally the best opportunity he'll ever have to prove that he can handle 3rd option duties well enough to earn $20M+ and he pretty clearly did not have that in him. There has really never been anything in his game that would suggest he's capable of it, unless Marvin Bagley is guarding him every night. I expect this to go on a while. There's really no reason for either side to give in that quickly.

[Diop]

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[Snidely FC]

As a small market team the best way to build a roster is to draft well, hope the pick develops, and then sign them long term. Being able to control a players contract for like ten years is why the draft is so important for small market roster building.

Unless he's asking north of $20M, I would not hesitate to sign PJ.

[KembaWalker]

Really went from feeling like we had all the leverage in this FA period a couple weeks ago to feeling like PJ has us by the balls now that Miles took the QO and Grant Williams signed in DAL. Sucks. Doubly so because he isn't even really that good, he's floating perfectly in that overpay zone. Not good enough to pay but too good to lose for nothing.

[MPM]

Doubly so because he isn't even really that good, he's floating perfectly in that overpay zone.

100%.

[fatlever]

I rate PJ higher than most people. I think he's exactly the kind of glue guy that we need. Someone that can defend across the front Court. Someone who can stretch the floor with threes and occasionally take over at the end of the game. Not someone to need the ball in his hands to make a big impact. It's a lot of money for someone who's probably your 4th or 5th best player most nights, but I still think we need to lock him up.

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[MPM]

I rate PJ higher than most people. I think he's exactly the kind of glue guy that we need. Someone that can defend across the front Court. Someone who can stretch the floor with threes and occasionally take over at the end of the game. Not someone to need the ball in his hands to make a big impact. It's a lot of money for someone who's probably your 4th or 5th best player most nights, but I still think we need to lock him up.

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Yeah - just never been much of a PJ guy and last year did little to dissuade me from thinking that he's just a pretty-OK role player. I see him on par calibre-wise with Thybulle or G. Williams who just inked 11-13mm deals. Being younger, I could see 14-15mm being 'fair' but anything much above that feels like a poor use of cap space -slash- small market premium.

[wilson115]

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Man has a point but it also keeps us from making other moves to help the roster and gives other teams more time to clear house for a better offer. Trying to be patient.

[HornetJail]

Lauri's RFA was 2021, that offseason didn't begin till 8/2/2021, so it dragged on 4 weeks not 2 months

[JMAC3]

For Pj, say he takes the QO. Is he a starter all year? I mean sure he will probably start while Miles is out, but I can't see him starting over Miles most the year. Especially with Hayward and Miller demanding mins at the 3. So PJ is going to come off the bench most the year for a bad to mid team then expect to find some huge deal in FA?

I have a hard time imagining a team throwing 18 million for 3-4 years next year at him. If the Hornets are offering him 15 million that's a pretty fair deal for both sides IMO.

[JMAC3]

For Pj, say he takes the QO. Is he a starter all year? I mean sure he will probably start while Miles is out, but I can't see him starting over Miles most the year. Especially with Hayward and Miller demanding mins at the 3. So PJ is going to come off the bench most the year for a bad to mid team then expect to find some huge deal in FA?

I have a hard time imagining a team throwing 18 million for 3-4 years next year at him. If the Hornets are offering him 15 million that's a pretty fair deal for both sides IMO.

Just doesn't seem worth the risk for PJ to play on an 8.5 million 1 year deal just to hope to make 18 million per year in the long run. Especially if Hornets are offering 15 million per year. PJ would actually make more over the first 2 years making 15 and 15 vs 18 and 8. That is even assuming his market value is that next year.

[Snidely FC]

I think the team was so bad last season PJ’s quiet improvement went a little under the radar. Last season PJ played the most minutes on the roster. Besides averaging 15 pts and 2.5 assists (comp Grant Williams 8ppg 1apg), he averaged 1.88 pts per play while initiating or finishing 124 pnrs and also took 430 3-pters, 6 per game; he defended guards, forwards and centers (one of only 3 nba players to record 800 matchups against guards forwards centers, other two being Scottie Barnes and Robert Williams), had the 5th lowest shooting % against (42% as closest defender) in the NBA, was #22 in “clutch” advanced stats (tied w Trae Young and Domantas Sabonis). I think this versatility in a player his size and age is much needed on this roster and worth locking up at $18M/

[MPM]

I think the team was so bad last season PJ’s quiet improvement went a little under the radar. Last season PJ played the most minutes on the roster. Besides averaging 15 pts and 2.5 assists (comp Grant Williams 8ppg 1apg), he averaged 1.88 pts per play while initiating or finishing 124 pnrs and also took 430 3-pters, 6 per game; he defended guards, forwards and centers (one of only 3 nba players to record 800 matchups against guards forwards centers, other two being Scottie Barnes and Robert Williams), had the 5th lowest shooting % against (42% as closest defender) in the NBA, was #22 in “clutch” advanced stats (tied w Trae Young and Domantas Sabonis). I think this versatility in a player his size and age is much needed on this roster and worth locking up at $18M/

More than fair to debate PJ’s value –– he’s a debatable dude. I disagree he’s a 18mm a year guy but agree it’s what a team like CLT may have to pay. Many here see him as a valuable starter – I see him more as a solid 6th man. Is what it is.

However - think your Grant Williams comp is a bit flawed. As I’ve mentioned, I’d just as well have had Williams or Thybulle – I think they provide equal value at lower price.

Grant Williams played 25.9 mins per night as a 3rd or 4th option and averaged 1.7 assists (not 1) + 4.6 boards.

PJ was largely a shoot-at-will guy as a 2nd or 3rd option at 32.6 mins per night.

The map ain’t the territory, but bump Williams stat line by 21% and you’re basically looking at a very similar player statistically with added intangibles (toughness, character).

Funnily enough both Williams (39.5% in 3.87 attempts) and Thybulle (38.8% in 3.9 attempts) shot the ball better from 3 than PJ (34.8% in 5.86 attempts) – bump their minutes, give them 2 more threes a game, efficiency likely drops and looking at what amounts to similar shooters from deep with better intangibles in Williams case and elite D in Thybulle's.

[LofJ]

With Miles being on a 1 year contract the only wings/forwards we'll have under contract this time next year are Brandon Miller and JT Thor. We need to sign PJ to make sure we have adequate depth going forward. I like him as a wing complement to both Miles and Miller.

[MPM]

With Miles being on a 1 year contract the only wings/forwards we'll have under contract this time next year are Brandon Miller and JT Thor. We need to sign PJ to make sure we have adequate depth going forward. I like him as a wing complement to both Miles and Miller.

Agree, which is why I think we need to keep him if it were a match, a bit of an overpay (small market premium), or the QO. I just don't (over)value him in a vacuum that much.

[Rich4114]

I was under the impression PJ was asking for $20m or over. If the magic number is $18, just do it already. He’s home grown talent, not our go to option or anything but certainly the type of guy we need on this roster. He’s reliable, plays good defense, shoots the 3 and is clutch. If we had all of our players last year we probably make the playoffs and he gets paid. Cap will always go up, lock the guy up at $18m per.

As for positioning, why would Miles play a lot at PF? I see him and PJ sharing the floor a lot together. Gordon is the one who I’d see swapping starting spots with Miles once we are at full strength.

[MPM]

I was under the impression PJ was asking for $20m or over. If the magic number is $18, just do it already. He’s home grown talent, not our go to option or anything but certainly the type of guy we need on this roster. He’s reliable, plays good defense, shoots the 3 and is clutch. If we had all of our players last year we probably make the playoffs and he gets paid. Cap will always go up, lock the guy up at $18m per.

As for positioning, why would Miles play a lot at PF? I see him and PJ sharing the floor a lot together. Gordon is the one who I’d see swapping starting spots with Miles once we are at full strength.

I forget - is PJ a Rich Paul guy?

[Snidely FC]

I think PJ's with Jay Z's Roc Nation Sports, same as LaMelo

[wilson115]

[Colbinii]

Lauri's RFA was 2021, that offseason didn't begin till 8/2/2021, so it dragged on 4 weeks not 2 months

The Cavaliers one with TT was also very different because Cleveland was a title contender [they easily win finals if Kyrie and Love don't get hurt]. The team was ultimately in a position where they had to pay up.

Greg Monroe signed the QO. Not sure why that was even posted here