The Dallas Mavericks decided to extend Naji Marshall's contract, and he will get a three-year, $52.2 million contract through 2029-30. Marshall has played some of the best basketball of his career and has earned the right to play in Dallas for the long haul. However, it could spell doom for one Mavericks forward who has been rumored to be part of trades for a while now.
P.J. Washington signed a four-year, $90 million deal in 2025, but he may be the odd man out in any trades.
The Mavericks have a clear logjam at forward, specifically power forward, but Marshall can play the three and the four positions just fine, as can Cooper Flagg. Are the Mavericks slowly setting up Washington to be shipped off elsewhere? The Marshall move made it seem like so.
Mavericks' Naji Marshall extension may spell doom for P.J. Washington
As of now, Marshall is still the reliable sixth man to come in and be the energy guy. He's been playing his best ball ever, averaging 13.2 points per game in the 2024-25 season. Last season, he averaged 15.2 points per game and shot over 50 percent from the field in both seasons.
He's been more consistent than Washington and provides more of a spark. He's arguably one of the best bench players in the league, and this contract now breaks any "underrated" reputation about him. Secretly, he may be one of the more untouchable players, and this contract proves that.
Washington came to Dallas in 2024, along with Daniel Gafford, and without their contributions, Dallas wouldn't have seen the NBA Finals that year. There have been some downs in Washington's outside shooting, but he's worth plenty.
The Mavericks' front office added so many forwards, including Morez Johnson Jr., Santi Aldama and Risacher. Those are guys who are going to get a ton of playing time, and Washington may get the short end of the stick here.
Should the Mavericks trade him, they could get some much-needed draft capital. The next time the Mavericks will fully control their next first-round pick is in 2031. That's a while, and for someone of Washington's value, they can definitely get a first-rounder.
The Mavericks may also move Gafford, but if Dereck Lively II keeps getting injured, they still need him. However, Gafford has injury issues of his own, as he injured his right ankle on the first day of last year's training camp, which affected his game all season.
But the Marshall signing all but points to something that could happen during the season. If the Mavericks can get decent value for someone like Washington, Masai Ujiri has options. The forward position is tightening up, and Marshall's contract may spell the end of Washington's time here in Dallas.
Add us as a preferred source on Google