Jaylen Brown, Deni Avdija, and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander finished the 2025-26 season as the league leaders in drives by a wide margin. Brown was the leader in total drives, but it was Avdija who had everyone beat on a per-game basis (19.4).
Avdija joined elite company in his All-Star breakout season. What's even more impressive is that he achieved this breakout despite the Blazers' inability to surround him with complementary pieces.
Similar to Avdija, Brown took on more of the playmaking responsibilities as Boston dealt with key injuries. But what Avdija didn't have, compared to these other superstars, was reliable floor spacing.
Both Boston and Oklahoma City ranked in the top ten in three-point percentage, while Portland ranked 28th at 34.3 percent. Unfortunately, ranking near the bottom in shooting efficiency has become a common occurrence throughout the Blazers' rebuild.
Blazers need to find complementary pieces for Deni Avdija
It's a concerning Achilles' heel in the Blazers' building blocks, as none of their recent first-round draft investments -- Shaedon Sharpe, Scoot Henderson, Kris Murray, Donovan Clingan, and Yang Hansen -- can reliably space the floor. Avdija's star ascension (and Portland's playoff appearance because of it) should force general manager Joe Cronin to finally address this roster flaw.
Avdija could be even better next season as he recovers from a lingering back injury that derailed his momentum post All-Star break. Combined with Damian Lillard's return, the Blazers have a legitimate shot at a deep playoff run next season. That is, if they finally add more shooting.
The modern NBA is built around pace and space, and it's incredibly difficult for Portland to have one but not the other. Avdija loves to get out in transition, where he's an absolute wrecking ball. At times, he's even able to cover for Portland's offensive limitations by simply putting his head down and getting to the line.
But as the first-round series against the San Antonio Spurs showed, that's not a sustainable formula for playoff success. In the playoffs, teams can't rely on getting to the line or getting out in transition as frequently. It largely comes down to half-court execution, which is something Portland lacks.
After the series, Victor Wembanyama said he was excited to finally be challenged tactically, noting that the Blazers' offense was "pretty straightforward." He's not wrong.
Deni Avdija's breakout should force Portland's hand this summer
Portland's offense is suddenly built around Avdija, which is a positive step in the right direction. Offenses in today's NBA are built around hunting mismatches, and having a jumbo guard like Avdija take on a point-forward role gives the Blazers a massive matchup advantage.
But for that to work, Portland needs to make teams pay when Avdija collapses the defense. He finished top ten in potential assists, but there were far too many frustrating possessions where the offense suddenly stalled because he kicked it out to non-shooters on the perimeter.
Avdija's All-Star breakout made this season a success for Portland. They have finally helped close the gap in star power. But there's a reason Oklahoma City and Boston finished as one and two seeds in their respective conferences, and it largely lies in their ability to surround their stars with the complementary pieces.
That's the next step in the Blazers' roster construction, and with Avdija getting this team back to playoff relevancy, that change needs to come sooner rather than later.
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