The Dallas Mavericks should already be looking ahead to 2028 free agency in hopes of landing a co-star to pair with Cooper Flagg. CBS Sports Sam Quinn has two potential targets in mind for Dallas: a reunion with Luka Doncic, or stealing Deni Avdija away from the Portland Trail Blazers.
Quinn discussed these targets with Yossi Gozlan on the Third Apron Podcast, calling Doncic wishcasting and Avdija the more attainable target Dallas should be planning around. Quinn also refers to the Blazers as a "sinking ship," adding that they aren't preserving the cap space required to renegotiate and extend Avdija.
"I think there's a very good chance that Deni Avdija is available in free agency in 2028, and Dallas is the team that should be positioning itself to get him," he said.
Could the Blazers really lose Deni Avdija in 2028 free agency?
The Blazers could have the best contract in the league in Avdija, owed just $13.1 million this season and $11.9 million in 2027-28. One downside is that its front-loaded, team-friendly structure actually complicates extension talks.
Given the NBA's rule for veteran extensions, Portland can extend up to 140% of Avdija's final-year figure. Alternatively, they can use the average salary of Avdija's current deal, which makes more sense here because it's front-loaded. But even then, Avdija's AAV of $13.75 million only amounts to $19.25 million after that 140% increase.
In other words, Quinn is absolutely right that the Blazers have a Deni Avdija extension problem to solve.
They'll eventually have to renegotiate his current deal, then extend him using a 140% increase of that new figure. That's primarily why we saw Jerami Grant and Jrue Holiday as potential trade candidates heading into the offseason. As Portland's two highest-paid players at the time, moving one would significantly help clear space for Avdija's potential new deal.
Portland traded for Ja Morant at Deni Avdija's expense
While the Blazers finally traded Grant, they surprisingly took their financial situation in the opposite direction, turning him into a higher-upside but more expensive Ja Morant.
To Quinn's point, Avdija is the Blazers' first All-Star since Damian Lillard. They finally landed that missing star they've been seeking this entire rebuild, yet fail to make him the priority in the first offseason after his ascension?
It's not like Morant is a good on-court fit for Avdija either, given his overlapping drives, poor floor spacing, and overall ball-dominant game that takes away from Avdija's strengths as a point forward.
Two goals Portland failed to achieve this summer were clearing space to renegotiate and extend Deni and surrounding him with better complementary pieces, particularly shooting. As a result, it risks him leaving for a team like Dallas in 2028 free agency.
A strange approach to an offseason that largely should've been based on building around their newest star. Instead, Portland brought in more talent at his expense.
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