Deni Avdija continues to trend upward, and he's taking the entire Portland Trail Blazers franchise with him. Avdija has been playing like an All-Star since the beginning of the season, but he's taken his game to yet another level as of late, playing the best basketball of his career.
He's started off 2026 red-hot, averaging 34.3 points, 8.0 assists, and 7.8 rebounds while shooting 50% from the field, 40% from beyond the arc, and getting to the line at an absurd rate (12.5 free throw attempts per game). That resulted in Avdija being recognized as the Western Conference Player of the Week.
Considering how valuable he is to this team, it's not a coincidence that Portland has now won six of its last seven games after pulling off a 103-102 upset at home against the Houston Rockets. Portland's rising star finished with a season-high 41 points to go along with six rebounds and two assists. It was the most points he's had since joining the Blazers and just two shy of his career high.
Given the level he's been playing at and the extent to which he's carried an injured Blazers team this season, Avdija is making an All-Star case that's impossible to ignore. It makes you wonder how or why the Washington Wizards ever traded him in the first place.
Deni Avdija trade is changing everything for the Blazers
In the 2024 offseason, Portland absolutely stole Avdija from Washington. In exchange, they sent over veteran Malcolm Brogdon, the No. 14 overall pick in 2024 (Bub Carrington), a 2029 first-round pick, and future second-round picks.
Remind you, the Blazers were initially criticized for sacrificing valuable draft capital as a rebuilding team to land a more surfire asset, as many believed it went against conventional wisdom. Considering Desmond Bane was just traded for four unprotected first-round picks and one swap this offseason, it's safe to say the Blazers got good value for their Avdija deal.
That's not even factoring in his front-loaded, team-friendly contract that is arguably the best in the entire association! Portland has a legitimate All-Star locked up for the next three seasons, owing Avdija a total of $39.4 million during that entire stretch.
Of course, they'll eventually have to renegotiate and extend his contract, as Avdija is completely outplaying it. It's also not perfect timing, as the Blazers ideally would've been able to upgrade their roster to become contenders, capitalizing on that limited window they have with a cheap star. But with how hard it's been for Portland to attract stars in free agency, they have to be absolutely thrilled that they were finally able to land one via trade.
Even better, they were somehow able to steal a rising star on a discount, which is almost unheard of in the NBA.