PJ Washington is in a good place. Here’s why that matters for him, and the Hornets
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Hornets Season Preview
From storylines to X-factors to profiles on some of the team’s biggest stars, this is The Observer’s Hornets season preview ahead of their first regular season game on Oct. 19.
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PJ Washington is in a good place. Here’s why that matters for him, and the Hornets
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Wiping the smile off PJ Washington’s face these days is a rather difficult task.
It hasn’t quite reached the level of that of the famous comic book character, where a devilish smirk is permanently etched around his lips. But the Charlotte Hornets’ versatile fourth-year forward is in a sound space mentally.
He’s pleased with the direction in which he’s heading, ready to fully display that he’s matured since arriving in town as the team’s first-round selection in the 2019 draft.
“I feel like since I came into the NBA, I feel like now I know the game a lot better than I felt like I knew it coming into the league,” Washington told The Charlotte Observer. “I can see things a lot earlier. I feel like I’m way smarter than I was, and defensively I feel like it’s night and day.
“So I’m just trying to be consistent in those areas, and I feel like everything is just going to fall into place.”
That would follow a slot-machine type of summer where more than one area of Washington’s life lined up exactly the way he wanted, giving him a proverbial jackpot. Potentially staring at a lucrative payday since his rookie contract expires after this season, Washington is in the best shape of his pro career thanks to an improved diet and many hours working out.
He has a fiancée now. His second child is also on the way, which makes him beam just pondering where his life is headed.
“I’m excited,” Washington said. “I’ve got a lot of big things coming up. I’ve got a kid on the way. I’m engaged right now, so everything has been good. She’s played a big part of me being in the gym, being locked in. So, she’s good.
“She’s my biggest support and she’s my biggest critic, too. She’ll tell me things she sees out there even though she’s never played basketball.”
Washington chuckles.
“Yeah,” he said with a grin, “she’s always on my butt about things.”
With Miles Bridges not around because of legal issues, Washington’s importance to the Hornets is magnified. He’s stepping into the starting power forward spot occupied by Bridges a season ago, and has to be a significant contributor for the Hornets to enjoy true success.
He’s already drawn the eye of coach Steve Clifford. Until taking over in June, Clifford wasn’t overly familiar with the Dallas-area native and University of Kentucky product. That changed quickly once Clifford began spending more time with Washington, starting with their initial encounters in Las Vegas during the summer league.
“Well, it’s interesting,” Clifford said. “They always say in the NBA you never know a guy until you coach him and then get a chance to watch him every day. I’ve always viewed him as a very cerebral, good-decision maker who plays off his 3-point shot. I know in Orlando that was our big thing: ‘Don’t let him get open.’
“And he’s far, far more than that. He can play off the second dribble, he can be a very good defender and I think his rebounding numbers can go up. I think he’s in a good place. He’s very fit.”
Down to 230 pounds after shedding 12 pounds over the summer, Washington insists he became even more dedicated to his craft. Besides taking part in an abundant amount of two-a-day training sessions, he hired a personal chef to whip up tasty meals — strictly of the nutritional, lighter variety.
He eliminated red meat from his diet. Chicken and seafood are more of the norm now.
“I felt like it was just me getting older,” Washington said. “I’ve got kids now, so I feel like I have a different outlook on things and I just wanted to be the best version of myself coming into this year. And I’m excited about what I’ve done.”
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These next six months could have huge financial implications for Washington, making it all the more imperative for him to have first-rate progress. Scheduled to earn $5.8 million this season, he’s eligible for a rookie extension, and Hornets have until the day before the NBA tips off its season on Tuesday to come to an agreement.
If that doesn’t happen, the Hornets can’t sign Washington until after the season, once they likely extend a qualifying offer -- in his case it would be $7.9 million -- to make him a restricted free agent. With as many as 12 teams potentially having sizable salary cap space, there could be a market for Washington to seek a fruitful deal elsewhere that forces the Hornets to match.
The two sides have negotiated a bit, and the window is closing.
“PJ is his own player, he’s his own person,” Washington’s agent Kevin Bradbury of REP1 Sports told the Observer. “He’s shown he deserves an extension. And so if they want to give one to us, we’re going to entertain it, and if they don’t then we’ll get ready for next summer. PJ is not afraid to bet on himself, so that’s not an issue. He’s going to have a good year.
“So hopefully we can come to a number that everybody feels good about. … It’s going to be up to Charlotte. If they want to get a deal done, we’ll get a deal done.”
Washington is eager for what might be coming his way, yet also is cognizant of the consequences that could arise if he doesn’t remain on task. He’s not consumed with it.
“I think it’s going to be super exciting, obviously, (with) all the work I put in my whole life,” Washington said. “But I can’t put that as my main focus right now. I feel like that’s going to be there. I’m not worried about it and the biggest thing I need to do now is focus on how I can impact this team and be the best version of myself.”
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If this season’s rendition includes his successful snippets from Year 3 — such as the red-hot performance in Denver when he led a second-half offensive charge for a spirited win against the Nuggets — Terry Rozier can’t wait for Washington to unleash his new-and-improved self.
“I’m a huge fan of PJ,” Rozier said, “and I was a guy that, when he was putting us over the hump for the games that we were winning last year, I was texting him after the game like, ‘We are going to need you to play like that all the time.’ Him being aggressive, him being unpredictable at the ‘4’ spot.”
Washington’s next step is to maintain some consistency. He knows it begins with an aggressive mentality on both ends of the floor. Pressuring the person he’s guarding. Scoring outside with his jump shot. Inside with his post game or dunks. Rebounding. Running the floor.
All the little details that add up equating to huge collective determinants, which is a necessity for a team searching for a sustained winning culture.
“I just feel like everything is different now,” Washington said. “The time is now. There is no, ‘We’re waiting for next year’ or ‘We’re waiting for years to come.’ The time is now. There’s no question everybody has that mentality.
“So for me, it’s just an everyday thing, trying to get better every single day, trying to get better every single day. Whether that’s watching film, taking care of my body – just doing all the things I need to do. Coming in as a rookie, you are just excited to be here. Now, it’s, ‘Let’s see what we can do with it.’ be”
This story was originally published October 13, 2022 at 5:00 AM with the headline "PJ Washington is in a good place. Here’s why that matters for him, and the Hornets."
