Alright, let’s talk about that PJ Washington contract situation. It’s something I actually followed pretty closely when it was all going down, not because I’m some kind of insider, just ’cause I find these kinds of negotiations kinda fascinating.
It wasn’t like one of those mega-star deals you see plastered everywhere. This felt more… I dunno, grounded? Like the kind of deal that really shapes the middle of a team’s roster. So, I kept tabs on it. My process wasn’t anything fancy, mind you. Just the usual routine.
My Tracking Process
First thing I did was check my usual sports apps and websites every morning. You know the ones. Just scrolling through headlines, looking for any updates. Then, I’d kinda dip into some fan forums, places like Reddit maybe, just to see what the chatter was.
- Checked major sports news sites daily.
- Scrolled through Twitter feeds for reporter updates.
- Looked at fan forums to gauge the vibe.
- Listened to a few podcasts that talked about offseason moves.
It was a slow burn. For a while there, it felt like nothing was happening. Just rumors. One report says he wants X amount, another says the team (Charlotte Hornets at the time) isn’t willing to go that high. Classic negotiation stuff. Restricted free agency is always this weird staring contest, you know? The team has the right to match, but they don’t wanna overpay if they don’t have to.
Observations Along the Way
What really stood out to me was how long it dragged on. It went deep into the offseason. That usually tells you there’s a decent gap between what the player thinks he’s worth and what the team is offering. You start wondering if maybe another team might throw an offer sheet out there, just to make Charlotte sweat.
When the deal finally dropped – 3 years, $46.5 million – my first thought was, “Okay, that seems… reasonable?” Maybe slightly on the high side for some folks, but in today’s NBA market, it felt like the kind of number a solid, young starter would get. He could shoot, had some versatility. It made sense on paper.
The funny thing is, looking back now after he got traded to the Dallas Mavericks, the whole context shifts again. That contract, signed with Charlotte, suddenly became a key piece in making that trade happen. It’s kinda wild how these things work out. A deal done in one context ends up serving a totally different purpose down the line.
So yeah, that was my little journey following the PJ Washington contract. Just a regular guy watching the sports world spin. It’s a good reminder that these aren’t just names and numbers; there’s a whole process, a lot of waiting, and sometimes the story doesn’t even end when the ink is dry.
