“I mean that’s Kyrie, he’s our leader, and obviously he brought us in led us to victory. So I mean he’s a great player and he shows up best in those in those clutch moments.” Last season, PJ Washington praised Kyrie Irving for his performance on the court and leadership off the court. Those qualities will continue for the foreseeable future as Uncle Drew will be in Dallas after signing a new extension. But not everybody’s future is secure.

Bit by bit, Mavericks are trying to overcome the setback from the previous campaign. With the number 1 pick, they will soon add Copper Flagg to their roster. Yesterday, they confirmed a new contract for Daniel Gafford. 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. PJ Washington, who seems to be down on the pecking order, is in his final year of contract.

Yes, he is available for extension for up to 4 years, $88.8 million. But before him, Nico Harrison addressed the Kyrie Irving situation. The GM did his job, and Charania reported that the 9x NBA All-Star will be declining his $43 million player option. Instead, Irving will sign a 3 year, $119 million contract to stay in Dallas. Even though PJ Washington has his future unclear, that doesn’t stop him from celebrating his teammates.

Supporting Gafford’s news first, Washington shared his excitement to his Instagram followers and added “LANDLORD ✍🏻️✍🏻️✍🏻️.” Just a few minutes ago, to his 863k followers, the 26-year-old celebrated Irving’s extension news. This extension, as per NBA reporter Bobby Marks, is also likely to give Dallas the flexibility to use their $5.7M tax midlevel exception.

Yet, there were no words or emojis added by PJ Washington to celebrate Kyrie Irving. But Kai had a lot of words to speak highly about Washington and his contributions when the team faced a crisis.

Kyrie Irving praises PJ Washington’s abilities

Remember, the month of February, when the Dallas Mavericks traded away Luka Doncic for Anthony Davis in a three-team deal facilitated by the Utah Jazz. It also became a record in the NBA since never before had two reigning All-NBA Team players been traded for each other midseason. But soon injuries caught up as Anthony Davis, along with centers Derreck Lively and Daniel Gafford, were out for a crucial clash against the Pelicans.

PJ Washington stepped up and scored 20 points in the first half. He ended the game with 24 points, the second top scorer for the Mavs, behind Kyrie Irving’s explosive 35, from which he scored 21 in the second half. So, Uncle Drew was quick to appreciate the 26-year-old star. “He’s a budding star for our team and he’s showcasing that.” Irving did not stop there. The 33-year-old called his teammate a leader on the pitch and someone who does not shy away from taking responsibilities.

“He’s getting accustomed to playing that five role, four role for us. Being a playmaker and stretch out the opposing centers to the three-point line, making their help a little more difficult at the rim.” It will be interesting to see if these words of encouragement help PJ Washington’s case to stay with the Mavs.