Extended to October 2023, Deni Avdija finally packed his bags to be sent to Portland at the end of June, in exchange for Malcolm Brogdon. It is therefore the end of a four-season adventure, his first in the league, with the Wizards for the Israeli winger.
“Washington was my home for four years. I built friendships there, relationships with the coaches. I felt like I was part of that team, I was emotionally connected to it. And then the time comes when you’re not there anymore and you have to understand that. You don’t have a choice.”, he concedes. “Even though we weren't the best team in the world, we made the playoffs once. I was injured at the time but I've come a long way with this franchise.”
He has not yet cut the cord with Washington. “I'm still in touch with a lot of people there, people who have been with me since the beginning or players I've played with. I'll always think of them, I'll always keep in touch. They're in my heart because they've helped me progress.”he continues.
Portland, a city connected to the Blazers
As Deni Avdija adds, he now enters “in a new world” where he discovers “new abilities both mental and physical”. And in a new city, Portland, very different from the American capital.
“Portland is much more beautiful in nature. It's a unique place and there are several areas where it's good to live. There's a community that loves the Blazers a lot. The city is more connected to its sport, to its team,” believes the 23-year-old. “It's less vibrant than Washington because it's the capital and people forget that it's a diplomatic city. There's something colder in Washington because a lot of people come from outside to work or for embassies. They don't feel at home. Whereas people live in Portland and it's more authentic.”
| Deni Avdija | Percentage | Rebounds | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Season | Team | MJ | Min | Shots | 3pts | LF | Off | Def | Early | Pd | Party | Int | Bp | Ct | Pts |
| 2020-21 | WAS | 54 | 23 | 41.7 | 31.5 | 64.4 | 0.4 | 4.4 | 4.9 | 1.2 | 2.6 | 0.6 | 0.6 | 0.3 | 6.3 |
| 2021-22 | WAS | 82 | 24 | 43.2 | 31.7 | 75.7 | 0.6 | 4.6 | 5.2 | 2.0 | 2.3 | 0.7 | 1.1 | 0.5 | 8.4 |
| 2022-23 | WAS | 76 | 27 | 43.7 | 29.7 | 73.9 | 1.0 | 5.4 | 6.4 | 2.8 | 2.8 | 0.9 | 1.6 | 0.4 | 9.2 |
| 2023-24 | WAS | 75 | 30 | 50.6 | 37.4 | 74.0 | 1.1 | 6.1 | 7.2 | 3.8 | 2.5 | 0.8 | 2.1 | 0.5 | 14.7 |
| Total | 287 | 26 | 45.7 | 32.7 | 73.7 | 0.8 | 5.2 | 6.0 | 2.5 | 2.5 | 0.8 | 1.4 | 0.4 | 9.9 | |
How to read the stats? GM = Games Played; Min = Minutes; Shots = Shots Made / Shots Attempted; 3pts = 3-pointers / 3-pointers Attempted; LF = Free Throws Made / Free Throws Attempted; Off = Offensive Rebound; Def = Defensive Rebound; Tot = Total Rebounds; Pd = Assists; Fte: Personal Fouls; Int = Steals; Bp = Loose Balls; Ct: Blocks; Pts = Points.
