The Portland Trail Blazers have an All-Star on the books for just $13.1 million next season. Better yet, the contract is frontloaded, declining to $11.9 million in 2027-28.
Deni Avdija has a strong case to be considered the best contract in the league currently, which is yet another reason the Blazers fleeced the Washington Wizards to come away with their cheap rising star.
Trading before Avdija's star ascension was ideal timing in terms of assets surrendered. That said, it wasn't ideal timing as far as how Avdija's team-friendly contract aligns with the Blazers' rebuilding timeline.
Deni Avdija's cheap contract complicates an extension
They haven't been able to fully capitalize on that contract to add the pieces required for a deep playoff run. That window is to win with such a cheap All-Star is quietly closing faster than many think, as Portland will have to renegotiate and extend his contract.
The fact that it's so cheap and frontloaded actually adds another layer of complexity, as Portland can only extend 140 percent off that final-year figure. He's not going to agree to a $16.6 million annual extension.
Retaining Avdija should be a top priority and at the forefront of every decision the Blazers make this offseason. They need to proactively give themselves financial flexibility to retain and upgrade their young core, which is suddenly headlined by their newest All-Star.
That could mean trading away one of Jrue Holiday or Jerami Grant this summer, as both veterans are set to make roughly $34 million next season.
Trading Jerami Grant or Jrue Holiday could solve Portland's financial crunch
Avdija's looming extension could also complicate Portland's quest to add more star power this summer. Initially, it made sense for Portland to package Grant as a salary filler to help land a high-paid star to pair with Avdija. Now, they have to at least consider the alternative: trading Holiday or Grant for a cheaper player who is, hopefully, on a contract that expires after next season.
Tom Dundon has a reputation as an aggressive owner, and the perception is that he has new-owner syndrome, wanting to make an immediate splash, for better or worse. But he's made it clear that there's not just one way this offseason will go. Portland will evaluate whether the star route gives them a legitimate shot at contention, and if not, they could take the roster in the other direction and step back in the short term.
"If [the right trade] doesn’t exist, then you’ve got to go about finding the pieces to continue to get better, and then decide if you can do good enough to win a championship or you have to take a step back," Dundon said at his introductory press conference.
That's where Grant or Holiday comes in as these financial stepping stones to help them reach their goal in either direction. If Portland is trying to get off salary instead of adding star power, they will have a significantly easier time moving Holiday.
Despite his age, contract, and declining athleticism, Holiday proved he still has plenty of gas left in the tank this season and remains a two-way guard who impacts winning at an incredibly high level. Portland is expected to receive trade interest for the veteran guard this summer, and moving him to prioritize Avdija has to be an option.
Ideally, they would finally dump Grant instead. But despite his bounce-back season, Portland may still have to attach future assets to incentivize a team to take on Grant's salary for multiple seasons. That largely defeats the purpose of the scenario in which Portland is trading a veteran to prioritize the future around Avdija.
So while it's great Portland landed such a steal in Avdija, it surprisingly presents the front office with an entirely new financial dilemma. The trade itself is still considered a major win, but it does complicate things financially as the Blazers look to navigate what was already an uncertain summer.
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