The fifth-seeded Dallas Mavericks acquired two key assets PJ Washington and Daniel Gafford via mid-season trades. Needless to say, the team and both players were fortunate to join forces.
After winning the Western Conference Finals, Washington took to social media to celebrate the win with fans on an Instagram live video, while boasting in particular about how he went from being on one of the worst teams in the league to then now going to the NBA Finals.
PJ Washington and Daniel Gafford went from playing with the Hornets and Wizards, to joining the Mavericks and heading to the NBA Finals.
“From the bottom, to the top!” 🔥 pic.twitter.com/GWjIPAV9jb
— MFFL NATION (@NationMffl) May 31, 2024
Washington was heard saying, "From the bottom to the top. Tell em' Gaff. We went from the bottom to the top."
Washington certainly got lucky to be in the position he is in now, as he played most of the season with the Charlotte Hornets, who were 10-40 at the time of the trade, and ended the year with a 21-61 record.
The fifth-year player was traded (along with two second-round picks) to the Mavs in exchange for Grant Williams and Seth Curry, who were both not so lucky.
Miami Heat player, Tyler Herro emphasized the point on Washington's live stream, "How you go from Charlotte to the Finals? You really made it out the mud with this one."
PJ Washington & Daniel Gafford were soaking in clinching the Finals after spending years in Charlotte & Washington! 😂
Tyler Herro on Washington’s IG Live: “how you go from Charlotte to the finals, you really made it out the mud with this one”
Washington’s response: “How you… pic.twitter.com/5YQmrnEGD6
— Courtside Buzz (@CourtsideBuzzX) May 31, 2024
On the Hornets, Washington, was averaging 13.6 points per game in 29.1 minutes of playing time, but only started in 17 out of the 44 games that he played in. Yet, on his new and improved team, the 25-year-old actually was pushed into an even bigger role.
That is to say, Washington started 28 out of 29 games for the Mavs during the regular season, in addition to being a starter in all 17 playoff games, in which he is currently averaging 13.6 points, 6.7 rebounds in 36.5 minutes per game.
Then on the same note, Gafford played most of the season with the Wizards, who had an even worse record (15-67) than the Hornets, before he was traded to Dallas for Richaun Holmes and a first-round draft pick.
On the Wizards, Gafford, was averaging 10.9 points and 2.2 blocks per game. And the Mavericks who were lacking a defensive paint presence, ranking 26th in the NBA in blocked shots before the big man's arrival, were able to utilize the 25-year-old as an interior defender for the end of the regular season/postseason.
In addition to blocking 1.9 shots in 21.5 minutes per game, Gafford contributed 11.2 points on a league-best 78% FG in 29 games as a Maverick. To point out, the highest field goal % ever for a full season was Mitchell Robinson 74.2% FG (2019-20 season).
Not to mention, Gafford, just a month after joining the Mavs' team, also came close to breaking an all-time NBA record for most shots made in a row, as he converted 33 consecutive shots over a five-game span, which led him to be just shy of the record of 35, set by Wilt Chamberlain (1966-67).
Washington and Gafford seem to be enjoying their time and have certainly found success in a Mavericks uniform, as they now move on to the NBA Finals to face the Eastern Conference champion Boston Celtics.
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