The Portland Trail Blazers didn’t just win the Deni Avdija trade - they might’ve walked away with their franchise cornerstone. At the time, the move raised eyebrows.
Portland, in the thick of a rebuild, flipped a package of future assets - including veteran guard Malcolm Brogdon, 2024 lottery pick Bub Carrington (No. 14 overall), a 2029 first-rounder, and two second-round picks - for a player who had shown flashes but hadn’t yet fully broken through. Fast forward two seasons, and that gamble looks like one of the savviest front office moves in recent memory.
Avdija’s breakout in Portland hasn’t just validated the Blazers’ aggressive approach - it’s flipped the entire narrative surrounding the deal. He’s now averaging 25.5 points, 7.2 rebounds, and 6.3 assists per game, while shooting a highly efficient 47% from the field, 38% from three, and 81% from the line.
That’s not just a solid contributor - that’s All-Star-level production. And it’s not coming out of nowhere.
The signs were there. In his final two seasons with the Wizards, Avdija was already trending up.
His scoring jumped from 9.2 to 14.7 points per game, and the biggest leap came from beyond the arc - where he improved from a shaky 29.7% to a very respectable 37.4%. That kind of shooting growth is rare and often met with skepticism.
Some thought Washington sold high, assuming the efficiency spike was a one-off. It wasn’t.
Avdija has sustained that shooting mark in Portland, and it’s just one piece of a much broader evolution. His playmaking has taken a leap, his ability to create contact and get to the line has improved, and he’s become a more assertive, confident presence on the floor. He’s not just fitting into Portland’s system - he’s helping define it.
What makes this trade sting even more for Washington is how it contradicts the very strategy they claimed to be following. The Wizards have been preaching patience, building for the long term, stockpiling picks, and developing young talent.
But in Avdija’s case, they pulled the plug too early. Despite his upward trajectory, they chose to move on - and now they’re watching him flourish elsewhere.
It’s not that the Wizards got nothing in return. Brogdon brought veteran leadership, and the picks could still turn into something meaningful. But in a league where elite wings with size, shooting, and playmaking chops are at a premium, letting go of one who was already in the building - and just starting to bloom - is a tough pill to swallow.
The Blazers, meanwhile, took a risk that’s paying off in a big way. They didn’t wait for the perfect moment or the perfect prospect.
They saw a player on the rise, bet on his continued growth, and gave him the runway to thrive. That kind of bold front office decision-making can change the trajectory of a franchise.
Now, two seasons later, it’s clear: Portland didn’t just win the trade - they may have found their next star. And in a league where those are hard to come by, that’s worth every pick they gave up.