Apparently, there are no significant signs appearing yet at the side of P.J. Washington’s restricted free agency front.
Marc Stein indicated on his Friday Substack that the Washington FA situation stands “amazingly quiet.” The league insider also noted that at this time of the offseason with August just getting nearer, there could be speculation that the forward would take the qualifying offer handed by the Charlotte Hornets.
Washington’s name remains enticing as an unsigned key free agent in this year’s summer marketplace, and the Hornets opted to hand an $8.5MM qualifying offer to him in order to have that power to match any other teams’ offer sheet.
He is coming off a solid individual year averaging 15.7 points, 4.9 boards and 2.4 assists in 73 regular season games of 2022-23.
Ever since before last season started, rumors persist that Washington is seeking to ink a deal that will pay him $20MM annually – a considerable overpay for the Hornets. But fast forward to now, at this stage of the 2023 offseason, it would be truly tricky for him to get that amount from other teams given their already shrunk salary cap which was allocated to other players upon the opening of the free agency gates in late June.
Washington may only hope that a sign-and-trade pact will occur soon in which a different team will pay him his desired contract, and this move is what Charlotte also leans on to adapt per Jake Fischer of Yahoo! Sports considering that they won’t afford to lose the big man next summer should he pick up his qualifying offer.
Upon picking his $7.9MM qualifying offer to remain in Charlotte for next season, Miles Bridges’ impending unrestricted free-agent status also adds up to the Hornets’ heavy decisions to make besides Washington.
It would be a gut-wrenching scenario for them to see that both of their promising forwards would leave next year as it will heavily impact LaMelo Ball’s impression on the franchise’s competitive intents and future plans.
