P.J. Washington has reached a three-year, $48 million contract extension with the Charlotte Hornets, according to ESPN who talked to Lift Sports Management agent Kevin Bradbury and Washington Sports Group's Paul Washington Sr.

Washington became the final restricted free agent to sign an extension during this offseason. He didn't have to sign a qualifying offer like his teammate Miles Bridges did. Neither did the Hornets want to trade him – the Dallas Mavericks had been reportedly interested in acquiring the 25-year-old forward.

Washington averaged 15.7 points and 4.9 rebounds per game last season. He was the first player in the Hornets' history to drain two triples and deliver at least one block per game. As a 2.01-meter-tall, 104-kilogram-heavy player, he often started in the power forward position and sometimes swung to the center position in the small-ball squad.

On March 28, he dropped a career-high 43 points against the Oklahoma City Thunder.

Washington's style of play fits the Hornets, who have been building their games on quick offense with a five-out lineup since the arrival of LaMelo Ball in 2020. Though Ball made only 36 appearances last season, he scored 23.3 points, 6.4 rebounds, 8.4 assists and four triples at 37.6 percent per game when he could play.

The team signed a five-year, $260 maximum deal with Ball in July, showing how committed they are to making him their franchise guard.

The Hornets drafted Brondon Miller from the University of Alabama with the second-overall pick in June. He scored 18.8 points, 8.2 rebounds and 2.9 triples at 38.4 percent for Alabama during the 2022-23 season. He was an elite scorer in college and has the potential to make a good defender even in the NBA.

The Hornets also landed Nick Smith Jr., a tall guard (1.96 meters) from the University of Arkansas at No. 27. He was seen as a lottery (top 14) selection before the draft.