2021-22 Season Review: PJ Washington

PJ Washington needed to alter to a brand new position this season. After beginning 118 of his first 122 video games as a professional, he was moved to the bench to make room for the emergent Miles Bridges. There was an adjustment interval, however in the end discovered success within the position and he performed himself onto the ground for near his regular allotment of minutes.

Washington’s largest power is his versatility and skill to play each the 4 and the 5. For the second consecutive season, the Hornets outscored their opponents by a major margin with Washington on the 5, even when it wasn’t all the time fairly. They struggled defensively and on the glass, however they compelled lots of turnovers and scored 120.3 factors per 100 possessions, nicely above the league main Jazz’s 116.3 for the season. These numbers have been even higher with Miles Bridges on the 4 alongside Washington—these lineups outscored opponents by 8.4 factors per 100 possessions.

These lineups work due to Washington’s skill to knock down pictures from the surface and deal with the ball higher than a extra conventional middle. He averaged 2.3 assists per recreation, and he averaged 2.7 assists per begin. He shot 36.5% from three, which is a profession low however nonetheless a decent quantity for an enormous. It appeared like he both couldn’t miss or may hardly hit the rim with little in between, however he has loads of time to work out the consistency.

The most important revelation for Washington this season was his potential as a defender. He averaged 1.2 steals and 1.2 blocks per 36 minutes. He acquired himself into foul bother at instances, however generally it appeared to assist him. He locked up Nikola Jokic within the fourth quarter of a comeback win over the Nuggets, and he did that whereas working with 5 fouls just about your entire time. Wehn he was locked in, he confirmed the power to physique up bodily bigs and use his size to disrupt their pictures. He additionally has a little bit of a bonus as bigs are likely to underestimate how nicely he can contest pictures given his measurement.

Washington isn’t an enormous stats man, and he’s nonetheless battling bouts of inconsistency, however he’s established himself as a key piece of the core for the Hornets. The crew performs nicely with him on the ground as a result of he does such an excellent job filling within the gaps. He could make huge pictures when the crew wants him to, or he can clamp up submit gamers defensively. The Hornets outscored their opponents each with Washington on the 4 and Washington on the 5.

Washington shall be eligible for a contract extension this offseason, nevertheless it stays to be seen if that’s one thing each and he the Hornets are capable of work out. It’s potential a minimum of one of many two sides lets Washington play out his contract and enter restricted free company subsequent summer season.

Washington has been incessantly thrown into commerce rumors. He’s perceived as being on the fringes of the crew’s basis, however he would even be a really interesting piece for a crew shifting off an excellent participant.

Long run, the Hornets certainly would favor to maintain PJ round. He’s not a simple participant to interchange, and even along with his occasional bouts of inconsistency, the Hornets are all the time higher when he’s on the ground.