The Charlotte Hornets are in the middle of what could be a long-term rebuild, with LaMelo Ball and Brandon Miller at the heart of their efforts to make it out of the league's cellar. The Hornets also brought back Miles Bridges, a player who missed the entirety of the 2022-23 season due to a serious off-court issue, into the fray. Amid all the Hornets' offseason dealings, PJ Washington has found himself lost in the shuffle, caught in the limbo of restricted free agency.

Washington remains unsigned, although that's not due to his lack of talent. The 24-year old is valuable as a floor-spacing big, and he can also rack up some defensive stats at either big man spot. However, Washington and the Hornets have not found it easy to come to an agreement in free agency, and he hasn't yet found a suitor that's willing to tender him a desirable offer sheet.

As a result, PJ Washington may now be willing to sign the qualifying offer worth $8.5 million given the gap that remains between him and the Hornets in negotiations, according to Sean Deveney of Heavy.com.

If Washington signs the qualifying offer, he will be following in the footsteps of Miles Bridges, who came back to the Hornets on a one-year, $7.9 million deal. This would further cloud the Hornets' future with much doubt, as two players who could play a crucial role in helping the Hornets return to playoff contention would hit unrestricted free agency next year.

It'll be interesting to witness PJ Washington bet on himself next season should he take the qualifying offer. Washington, as one would recall, rejected the Hornets' extension offer of around $50-52 million last year, trying to play his way into a much more expensive contract. According to Marc Stein, Washington was seeking a contract starting at around $18 million in value, although at this point in free agency, it's rather unlikely he gets that amount.

The Hornets' frontcourt situation has now become even more crowded with Bridges' return, so Washington will have to prove he's worthy of playing heavy minutes and produce while doing so so he could make bank soon enough.