Dallas Community Concerned by Daniel Gafford Update as $60M Decision Puts Mavs Teammate at Risk

The 2025 Draft week is upon us, and the Dallas Mavericks have all the intention of selecting Cooper Flagg. After all, the consensus #1 pick was “having fun” on his visit to Dallas, as per the recent report. With him joining the squad, many expected there would be few cuts to the roster. Scratch Daniel Gafford’s name from this list. That’s why fans are now worried about PJ Washington’s future; it’s very unlikely that they’ll be able to return both Gafford and Washington.

ESPN’s Shams Charania reported that the 26-year-old intends to sign a three-year extension that will rake in $60 million in total. That means the frontcourt options include Dereck Lively II, Anthony Davis, and presumed No. 1 pick in this week’s draft, Cooper Flagg. Knowing how the frontcourt is shaping up, the question remains: where will Jason Kidd fit in Washington? Seems unlikely, as the player would accept a bench role and be a second fiddle in the pecking order.

With Anthony Davis on the team, he can’t even play power forward. And there is no chance of benching Klay Thompson and starting at shooting guard. This same sentiment about Washington’s future was shared by Isaac Harris of Locked on Mavericks. “Anthony Davis really wants to play the four. The Mavs already have two centers. So PJ moves down to the three. Then they get Cooper Flagg. Now, what happens to PJ Washington? “

Last season, the Kentucky alum played in 57 games and started in 56 of them with average minutes of 32.2. His production was 14.7 points plus a team high 7.8 rebounds per game. But it seems Nico Harrison and Jason Kidd have made their intentions clear and will rely on Daniel Gafford over Washington from next season. However, fans are not completely onboard with this decision.

Daniel Gafford’s update means bad news for PJ Washington

Let’s not forget that they’re also in the final years of their contracts, after which they both become UFAs. So, it seems that the Mavs are being proactive with their move and trust Gafford more with his defensive ability. As per ESPN’s report, the 26-year-old was a strong interior presence on defense, ranking in the top 10 in field goal percentage allowed as the contesting defender this past season. Seeing this, one fan asked for a concerning update. “Don’t tell me this means what I think it means about PJ“.

So, is there a new destination that the Mavs have in mind? A netizen seems to believe that this is the end of Washington’s time in Dallas, as the franchise confirmed Daniel Gafford’s extension. “So PJ will be traded.” One potential destination could be Boston, since the Mavericks are keen on signing a veteran guard after Kyrie Irving’s injury. He tore his left knee ACL and is targeting a return in January 2026, and the team wants to add Jrue Holiday to fill that gap.

A swap could be on the cards as a fan commented, “PJ Washington Celtic i guess?” Another destination is a reunion with former teammate Luka Doncic. The Athletic’s Jovan Buha previously reported, “There was some chatter, a little bit of buzz of the Lakers and Mavericks working on something.” But this was about Daniel Gafford. With him signing an extension, a fan added, “Tell Lakers Gm to get PJ Washington that’s the only way.” However, it’s not all doom and gloom.

A fan rightly pointed out, “Curious if PJ Washington is next for an extension“. Yes, he is available for extension for up to 4 years, $88.8 million. But before him, Harrison will have to address Irving’s $43 million player option. So will the Mavs sign and trade Washington? With the arrival of Cooper Flagg, a lot of changes are surely happening.