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4 Players Trail Blazers should steal from Wizards after Bradley Beal trade

By Andrew Hanlon

Bradley Beal, Washington Wizards (Photo by G Fiume/Getty Images)
Bradley Beal, Washington Wizards (Photo by G Fiume/Getty Images) /
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The Trail Blazers could steal Deni Avdija from a rebuilding Washington Wizards team.
Deni Avdija, Washington Wizards (Photo by Patrick Smith/Getty Images) /

3. Deni Avdija

Avdija is a 6-foot-9, 22-year-old wing coming off his best season in the NBA. He upped his stats just about across the board:

  • 2021-22: 8.4 ppg, 4.2 rpg, 2.0 apg, 0.7 spg, 43.2 percent shooting, 31.7 percent from three
  • 2022-23: 9.2 ppg, 6.4 rpg, 2.8 apg, 0.9 spg, 43.7 percent shooting, 29.7 percent from three

The three-point shooting leaves something to be desired, but the improvements in his game were real; they showed up on the court as well as on the stat sheet.

If he can become a better shooter from deep (even 35, 36 percent), it would open up more of Avdija’s game, which has some skill to it. He’s not a stiff off the dribble and has some playmaking ability as a passer, he just needs more opportunities to show it.

Playing alongside Lillard, Shaedon Sharpe and whoever else is on the Blazers roster next season should provide that.

Maybe Avdija develops into a glue-guy fifth starter or maybe he just becomes a solid rotation player. Either way, bringing a young, improving 6-9 wing to Portland would be a no-brainer if Washington is selling off assets.