Three takeaways from the Charlotte Hornets preseason

PJ Washington is the real deal

One preseason into his young career, PJ Washington is looking like a veteran already. The Hornets’ first-rounder dropped a solid 12.2 points per game during the preseason, while shooting at an extremely efficient clip. Washington shot 22-37 (62.9%) from the field as well as 50% from three-point range. Much as he did in college, the rookie forward continued to show his worth as an ultra-efficient shooter.

On top of his productive scoring, Washington also proved that he could be trusted with the ball in his hands. In 127 minutes, he committed just 10 turnovers. Aside from the Grizzlies game where he turned the ball over four times, Washington turned the ball over just 6 times in over 100 minutes. Not only has Washington demonstrated his efficiency shooting the ball, he also proved that he can be trusted with the ball in his hands.

Defensively, Washington came into the league with the reputation of being a solid defender. In five preseason games, he reaffirmed that at the NBA level. He did run into foul trouble in a few of the contests, however, it’s not all that uncommon for a rookie big-man to do so as they adjust to the speed of the professional game. For what it’s worth, Washington was also the team’s third-leading defensive rebounder during the preseason, behind only Cody Zeller and Miles Bridges.

Soon after the draft, there was talk that Washington would begin this season with the Hornets’ G-League affiliate, the Greensboro Swarm. Not only has he proved that he belongs in Charlotte, but head coach James Borrego has also indicated that there’s a strong possibility that Washington will be an opening-night starter when the Hornets host the Chicago Bulls on October 23.