The Whiteboard: The best offseason addition nobody is talking about
Lost in the wildfire of Stephen Curry’s 52-point eruption and a Nikola Jokic-Anthony Edwards-led instant classic in Denver on Tuesday night, Deni Avdjia put up a 32-point, 15-rebound, 10-assist triple-double to lead the Trail Blazers over the Hawks in Atlanta.
On some nights, maybe this would have gotten a mention or a headline in the usual national outlets. But probably not. Avdija, in his first season in Portland, has been toiling away for a better-than-expected-but-still-not-very-good Blazers team and showing that he is a significant piece of their future.
He’s one of the best players nobody is talking about. More than that, there’s an argument that he’s been the league’s best offseason acquisition.
On draft night last June, the Trail Blazers acquired Avdija for Bub Carrington’s draft rights, Malcolm Brogdon, a 2029 first-round pick and two future second-round picks.
It was a fascinating trade. Avdija, the ninth pick in 2020, was far from a bust. He was just 23 at the time (he turned 24 in January) and was coming off the best season of his young career.
But the Wizards were taking a calculated step even further back than they were. Avdija, even at his young age, would have been 3-4 years older than Washington’s new core, headlined by no. 2 overall pick Alex Sarr. He’s a half-decade older than Cooper Flagg.
So, the Wizards sold high. Or so they thought.
Avdija has taken a leap this season and has been Portland’s best all-around player for most of it. He’s averaging 16.5 points, 7.1 rebounds and 2.9 assists in 30 minutes per game. His 60.5 True Shooting percentage is a career high. He’s taking a higher rate of 3s, getting to the line and playmaking more than ever.
Since the beginning of March, Avdija is averaging 24 points, 10.2 rebounds and 5.5 assists. That includes Tuesday night’s triple-double – the second of his season. (He has 15 double-doubles.)
The Trail Blazers don’t have a traditional point guard, per se, but Avdija is one of their best playmakers and table-setters. At 6-foot-9, he can see over the defense and deliver skip passes that aren’t in Anfernee Simons or Scoot Henderson’s wheelhouse.
He’s one of Portland’s best pick-and-roll ball handlers. He doesn’t scuttle like Scoot or fly high like Shaedon Sharpe, but he plays angles well and goes at a brisk yet patient pace.
He’s at his best when ripping down a rebound and pushing it up the floor. His teammates know to run with him. Blazers coach Chauncey Billups has called him a “one-man fast break.”
There were other great additions last summer: Karl-Anthony Towns and Mikal Bridges to the Knicks; Dyson Daniels to the Hawks; Isaiah Hartenstein and Alex Caruso to the Thunder.
But considering what the Blazers gave up for Avdija, and that’s he’s under a ridiculously team-friendly deal over the next three seasons after signing a $55 million extension before the 2023-24 season, he might be the best value.
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There’s plenty to still sort out, but here’s what we know for sure with two weeks left in the regular season.
- In the East, the Pistons and Bucks will round out the top six. The Cavaliers will finish with the No. 1 seed, followed by the Celtics at No. 2 and Knicks at No. 3. The East play-in teams will likely be the Magic, Hawks, Bulls and Heat in some order.