After watching how well he played in their game against the Dallas Mavericks on Monday night, the Miami Heat could consider a trade for PJ Washington. Miami has been much better than most people expected this season, but if they want to continue to improve, adding talent will be important, and Washington could be an intriguing fit.
He’s a versatile power forward who could slide in as a perfect depth piece alongside Andrew Wiggins, Jaime Jaquez Jr., and the rest of their forward core. Washington’s three-point shooting, defensive switchability, and overall intensity would make him an ideal fit with Heat culture.
Bringing him on board would be a very fun idea for the Heat to explore.
Heat could consider a PJ Washington trade
Erik Spoelstra has the Heat playing a very interesting brand of basketball this season, utilizing almost zero pick-and-rolls and playing a very free-flowing style of offense.
Washington’s ability to put the ball on the floor a bit while also knocking down his three-point shots could be a very nice addition to everything the Heat want to do this season.
Plus, adding him to a defensive lineup that also includes Bam Adebayo, Jaquez, Wiggins, Davion Mitchell, and Kel’el Ware would be absolutely monstrous, especially with how much energy he plays with.
Having a guy always willing to put his body on the line (and protect his teammates) would be a great fit in Miami. Fans would fall in love with Washington’s game very quickly.
He made a pretty good case for Pat Riley to trade for him, too. With how well he played against the Heat on Monday, he should be firmly on Miami’s radar come trade season.
On Monday night, Washington finished the game against the Heat with 27 points, seven rebounds, one assist, and two blocks while shooting 10-of-21 from the field and 3-of-9 from beyond the three-point arc. He also made all four of his free throws.
Miami has a $16.8 million trade exception from losing Duncan Robinson to the Detroit Pistons in a sign-and-trade this summer. Washington’s roughly $14.2 million salary would fit into that exception, making it relatively easy for the Heat to trade for him.
Plus, Washington could be a part of the Heat’s long-term core. He’s only 27 years old and has four more years on his contract after this season. His deal caps out at $24.6 million in the final season (2029-30), which is a great price for a player like him.`