Last summer, it was widely expected that if the Portland Trail Blazers were to make a trade, it would be to move one of their several veterans to clear the path for their youth.
Instead, general manager Joe Cronin shook the NBA world and Blazers alike, making an out-of-nowhere trade for Deni Avdija, who didn't even see the trade coming himself. In fact, Avdija was asleep in Israel when the deal went down, but he later received news of the trade from his father.
The Blazers paid a steep price to acquire the Wizards' rising star, sending over Malcolm Brogdon, the No. 14 overall pick in the 2024 NBA Draft (which turned into Bub Carrington), a 2029 first-round pick, and two future second-round picks.
It was apparent that Portland would make some move last summer as they needed to get under the luxury tax, a place no team coming off a 21-win season should ever be in. Moving Brogdon accomplished that financial goal for Portland, but Cronin took a massive gamble by prioritizing an up-and-coming Avdija over draft capital, making it a polarizing trade.
One season later, it’s clear the Blazers stole Deni Avdija
The most significant question mark surrounding Avdija's game -- and what would determine if the deal worked out in the Blazers' favor -- is whether his improved shot was here to stay.
With the Wizards, Avdija's three-point shooting percentage jumped from 29.7 in 2022-23 to 37.4 in 2024-25. That drastic improvement suggested that it may not be sustainable. That appeared to be the case early on in Avdija's first season with Rip City, as he shot 33.9 percent from deep prior to the All-Star break.
It even led Chauncey Billups to bench Avdija for a stretch, a decision that looks very questionable in retrospect. If a rebuilding Blazers team just spent two valuable first-round picks on a bench player, this move would be considered a failure.
Luckily, Avdija made Cronin's move look genius, likely playing a considerable role in the Blazers' decision to extend their general manager. After the All-Star break, Avdija averaged 23.3 points, 9.7 rebounds, and 5.2 assists on 51/42/78 shooting splits.
Even throughout his early-season struggles, Avdija was filling a huge need for the Blazers as a versatile do-it-all wing. But he took that jump from being a valuable role player to a go-to option, putting up stats that only the NBA's elite could replicate.
Avdija's three-point shot opened up his entire game, making him a three-level scorer that was impossible to gameplan against when paired with his playmaking and physicality. The Blazers turned a corner halfway through the season, which was catalyzed by Avdija's improved play.
Building on the momentum from his breakout year with the Wizards, Avdija had the most complete season of his career. At just 24 years old, he continues to trend in the right direction and has a legitimate All-Star upside if he can lean fully into the point-forward role, which makes him such a unique talent.
That's not even accounting for the fact that he's on arguably the best contract in the entire league, owed just $39.4 million total over the next three seasons. Because of his frontloaded, team-friendly contract, Portland will have plenty of financial flexibility to add more pieces around Avdija in the coming years, particularly the 2026 offseason.
We're nearly one year removed from the shocking Avdija deal, and it's become obvious why Cronin pulled the trigger. This deal raised Portland's floor too high to give themselves a realistic shot at landing Cooper Flagg in the 2025 NBA Draft. But, at best, that was only going to be a 14 percent chance of happening regardless.
In Avdija, they added a surefire piece to their young core. Not only does he fit the Blazers' roster perfectly, but he's also emerged as their best player.
Grade: A