Charlotte Hornets lottery pick PJ Washington shot over 42 percent from the 3-point line on more than two attempts per game at Kentucky last season, so he clearly has the ability to stretch the floor.
In fact, new Hornets head coach James Borrego told Roderick Boone of The Athletic that he wants Washington to expand his range at the NBA level right from the jump:
“I like the way he is shooting the 3-ball already. We are not going to wait for PJ to shoot 3s. He’s going to shoot 3s now and we are excited about that. Very good and willing passer, which I really like. As we look at our group from last year to this year, we need multiple guys that can make plays. So I need guys that can make the extra pass, make the right play, and PJ is one of the guys that fits that.”
Washington is not the most imposing of forwards at 6'8″ and 228 pounds, but as a member of the Wildcats he consistently terrorized opponents with his combination of quickness and athleticism. Washington was just as effective at facing up in the post as he was at backing opponents down and scoring on an assortment of jump-hooks and floaters.
Barrego and the Hornets will almost certainly look to integrate Washington into their offensive scheme as quickly as possible. Charlotte is entering the rebuilding phase after allowing Kemba Walker to leave in free agency, and they need dependable scorers in the rotation.
The NBA is a copycat league, and various teams currently roster “stretch four” types that can rebound and shoot the three. It seems that Washington is destined for a similar role in Charlotte.
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