P.J. Washington is traded by the Charlotte Hornets to the Dallas Mavericks as a swap for Grant Williams, Seth Curry, and a first-round pick

According to several sources, the Dallas Mavericks are trading guard Seth Curry, forward Grant Williams, and their 2027 first-round draft pick to the Charlotte Hornets in exchange for forward P.J. Washington. The draft selection has few defenses.

Washington, 25, is averaging 13.6 points this season on 44.6% shooting and 32.4% three-point shooting. He has played in 44 games for the struggling Hornets, starting 17 of them. In addition, he averages 5.3 rebounds and 2.2 assists in 29.4 minutes per game.

For months, Washinton’s name was connected with Dallas as the team sought to bolster its perimeter depth and talent. The former No. 12 overall pick in the 2019 NBA Draft is currently in his fifth season and has just signed a three-year contract.

In August 2023, Washington and Charlotte inked a $46.5 million, three-year contract. Despite being paid $16.84 million, he has a frontloaded contract. Before turning into a free agent in 2026, he will make less money during the following two seasons ($5.5 million in 2024–2025 and $14.15 million in 2025–2026).
When the Mavericks signed and traded for Williams, 25, from the Boston Celtics last summer, it was a major move. Williams had a scorching start to the season, but he soon cooled off and was dropped from the starting lineup in December. He averaged 8.1 points on 41.3% shooting and 37.6% from outside the arc, 3.6 rebounds, and 1.7 assists in 26.4 minutes per game while playing for Dallas. He participated in 47 games, including 33 starts.

Williams is already one year into a $53.34 million, four-year contract. In 2027, he will be an unrestricted free agent and receive an average salary of $13.33 million year.

Curry, 33, never found the same spark that made him a fan favorite in his prior seasons in Dallas during his third time with the Mavericks. He made 36 appearances, averaging 1.4 rebounds in 12.7 minutes and 4.3 points on 37.2% shooting. In July 2023, he inked a $8 million, two-year contract with the Mavericks.