Dusty May is gearing up for his first season at the helm of the Dallas Mavericks following his tenure with the Michigan Wolverines. One of the big questions for the start of his coaching journey is the lineup that he'll put around Cooper Flagg and a returning Kyrie Irving. While the Mavericks didn't make the playoffs or the play-in mix last year, the team boasts several talented players who could round out a starting five around Irving and Flagg.
Asked Dusty May if they need to be open about the idea of have predetermined starting lineups vs. using camp to dictate starters.
He said PJ Washington is “certainly in the mix for a starting spot.”
“Personally, if I could play 5 more mins & not hear my name called, I’d rather… pic.twitter.com/GbWbqBQj4E
— Mike Curtis (@MikeACurtis2) October 1, 2026
In comments obtained by Mike Curtis of the Dallas Morning News, May laid out his philosophy behind building the lineup
Article Continues Below“Yeah, I think, as coaches, we have a couple different lineups penciled in, but obviously, as we've learned and they're learning, the NBA guys are out a lot. There's a lot of inconsistency in the lineup over the number of days based on back-to-backs and injuries. I can't really answer because we haven't spent a lot of time thinking about it other than just penciling in this rotation.”
He then floated a potential addition to the starting lineup: veteran Maverick forward PJ Washington.
“Hopefully, we have the mindset of whatever the team needs, but PJ is certainly in the mix for a starting spot, mostly because he can play multiple positions.”
Washington was traded to the Dallas Mavericks in the 2023-2024 season and ultimately became a key member of their 2024 NBA Finals team. He stayed with the Mavericks in the 2024-2025 and 2025-2026 seasons, though he was injured in both. Still, last season, he averaged 14.2 points, 7 rebounds, 1.1 blocks, and 1 steal, and shot 45% from the field.