The Wizards and Trail Blazers have agreed to a trade that will send forward Deni Avdija to Portland, reports Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN (Twitter link).
In exchange for Avdija, Washington will receive guard Malcolm Brogdon, the No. 14 pick in Wednesday night’s draft, a 2029 first-round pick, and two second-rounders, according to Wojnarowski (Twitter link).
The 2029 pick will be the second-most favorable of the three first-rounders Portland controls, per Wojnarowski. Besides their own pick, the Blazers hold the Celtics’ and Bucks’ first-rounders in ’29.
The two second-rounders will be 2028 and 2030 picks, tweets Josh Robbins of The Athletic. The ’28 pick will have to be the least favorable of the Wizards’ and Lakers’ second-rounders; the details on the ’30 second-round pick aren’t yet known (Washington controls Phoenix’s second-rounder in addition to its own).
Avdija, who was selected ninth overall in the 2020 draft, has spent his first four NBA seasons in Washington and enjoyed a breakout year in 2023/24. In 75 games (all starts), he established new career highs in points (14.7), rebounds (7.2), and assists (3.8) per contest, as well as FG% (.506) and 3PT% (.374). The performance earned him a sixth-place finish in the Most Improved Player vote.
The 23-year-old is also on a very team-friendly contract for the next several seasons. He signed a four-year, $55MM rookie scale extension last offseason that will go into effect in July and will run through the 2027/28 season. It has a declining structure, starting at about $15.6MM and dipping to $11.9MM by year four.
While it’s a little surprising to see the retooling Trail Blazers as an aggressive buyer on the trade market, Avdija’s age and contract make him an ideal long-term fit in Portland. The deal will also create some financial flexibility for the Blazers, who projected to be over the first tax apron in 2024/25. As cap expert Yossi Gozlan tweets, moving off of Brogdon’s expiring $22.5MM salary and the No. 14 pick (which had a cap hold of about $4.5MM) will move team salary out of luxury tax territory.
Brogdon has appeared in more than 56 games just once in the past five seasons due to injuries and only played 39 times in 2023/24. However, he remains effective when he’s available, averaging 15.7 PPG, 5.5 APG, and 3.8 RPG in 28.7 MPG with a .440/.412/.819 shooting line in his first and only season as a Blazer. The 31-year-old won the Sixth Man of the Year award with Boston in 2023 but was sent to Portland in the Jrue Holiday trade last fall.
Still, it’s safe to assume that the draft pick were the primary motivator for the rebuilding Wizards, who were rumored for much of the spring to be eyeing a third first-round pick. While Avdija would have fit Washington’s timeline too, he was part of the roster that the current front office – led by team president Michael Winger and general manager Will Dawkins – inherited, so it seems they weren’t especially attached to him. Winger and Dawkins have reportedly made it a priority to build the new-look Wizards’ roster through the draft.
It’s unclear if the Wizards will keep Brogdon for the 2024/25 season or look to flip him to a new team. The veteran would make a logical trade chip, given his expiring contract and his age, and sources indeed tell Michael Scotto of HoopsHype (Twitter link) that he’ll be a candidate to be traded again. But Brogdon could also provide depth and veteran leadership in Washington’s backcourt if the team loses point guard Tyus Jones in free agency.
Due to the poison pill provision, the trade can’t be completed until July, notes ESPN’s Bobby Marks (via Twitter). That means the Blazers will make their pick at No. 14 tonight on behalf of the Wizards.
My grade
Blazers B
Wizards B-
Deni Avdija has a similar stats with OG?
OG Raptors Stats last season
15
4
3
49%
37%
In nowaday’s deal, owners handing out first round picks like candy.
Example:
James Dolan
Steve Balmer
Trade SGA, Jalen Williams and 5 other first round picks to Thunder for George
Nice deal for the Blazers.
Wizards shooting to compete in 2032?
I think Wash gets the better of this deal , 2 1sts, 2 2nds + Brogdon, who they’ll likely trade for more draft capital/young talent, that’s a good haul!
Good news is you’ve been traded out of Washington. Bad news, you’ve been traded to the Blazers.
This is a great deal for blazers, honestly just fold the wizards already
Derrick white is who we thought Brogdan was going to be. Now he’s getting passed around like a smoke sesh with wiz & snoop dogg.
What? We thought Brogdon would be White?
Brodgon was ROY before White even got in the league
If you read their comment from the perspective of a Celtics fan, it makes more sense
Not going to lie its hard for me to see the point of this one. The new front office regime has done well getting rid of the previous ones mistakes. But Avdija is still super young and probably about to really break out as a player and he was a very team friendly contract. He was exactly the type of building block you want. There has to be more moving parts in addition to this, it just wouldn’t make sense otherwise to me. Good fortune to Deni though.
Kind of like this for both teams.
Wizards get a decent haul of assets, and the 2029 first could be promising. Deni can be a solid swiss army knife, but the team could use more upside swings.
The Blazers already have some decent talent on the roster and are farther along in their rebuild timeline than the Wizards are from that perspective, although a lot will depend on Scoot being much better in year 2. They just better not screw up their rebuild because that 2029 Bucks first could be juicy, which leaves either their own or the Celtics first as the second best pick. And as much as I like Deni as a player, that price is more than I thought he’d fetch on the market.
Not only does he have a great contract, but he’s also young and already very underrated. Strong all-around game and averaged 17/9/4 in the second half this year.
Really don’t get this deal from the Wizards perspective other than completely leaning into the rebuild, but I don’t think trading a 23 year old who is actively developing into a better asset is the best way to conduct a rebuild.
I guess the one good thing you can say about this from their perspective is at least they didn’t trade Deni before last season or even at the deadline, which they could’ve done as a guy the new front office hadn’t drafted. Giving him the year to up his trade value worked well if that was the intent. But I agree it’s an odd move. I would’ve thought a good year from him would’ve made it more likely he stays, not less likely.
I can only think there’s either more moves to follow or they really like someone who they feel confident in being available at 14.
I don’t get it. He is a OK player but more of a bench occasional starter on a good team. So why does a rebuilding team give up draft picks for him? Should have traded Brogdon at trading line last year when they had offers for him.
I think Deni’s upside is a strong glue guy every contender would like to have on their roster. So if the Blazers are looking to get back to the playoffs sooner rather than later I can see the rationale. But they’ve got a ways to until then, even with the growing talent on the roster.
Portland already has almost a full roster of guaranteed contracts and 4 draft picks this draft so they had to trade some contracts and picks. A little surprised by the future 1st though.
Man DC fleeced Portland smh whoever they get at #14 tonight will most likely end up being better than Deni. Plus they get a bunch of extra stuff too.
Oh yeah, obviously, you sure know your hoops;
I don’t know, not exactly easy to find 6’9 wings that are 23, signed to a great contract and contribute to the game in every area. Chances are he continues to improve and the contract becomes even better along with his performance, and though he likely won’t ever be a star he has the upside to be that plug-and-play glue guy that every championship team has.
That ‘29 pick could be anything, they got the 14th pick in a draft without many high end prospects and a past-his-prime Brogdon. Not really a haul by any means.
No contenders want Brogdan???
Why get him now before FA. He is someone teams look at when FA is dried out.
Why give up a future 1st for Deni?!
Deni is a great player but….the Blazers are (or at least should be) rebuilding so it makes no sense at all. Grade F to them but not surprised they make bad moves all the time
Deni is only 23 years old, what doesn’t make sense? Keep 1st pick for someone of similar skill that will take years to develop?
Deni is already a quality player at 23, do it all wings with his length are rare. He’s pretty well within their current timeline, and given that he has a descending contract structure, he’ll be *very* tradeable towards the end of it. Also makes Grant or Simons more expendable (moving Sharpe to the 2 and Deni/Grant to the 3 with the other at the 4 would make Simons the odd man out), so they can trade one of them to recoup the assets they lost if they feel they need to. Both have desirable skillsets for contending teams or teams missing the last piece before contention.
Honestly, though, I think the Blazers still lose because they gave up so much for *just* Deni. He’s good, but two firsts, two seconds, and a quality roleplayer like Brogdon? High price to pay.
Definitely think this deal favours Washington more. Deni is nice but he ain’t worth 2 firsts let alone 2 firsts, 2 seconds and a handy role player.
Brogdan can be the starter if Jones leaves, can be traded for more assets (picks), or ultimately if nothing comes he’s a good bet who’s happy to play off the bench and makes you a better team.
Washington also did great in the draft with Sarr, Carrington and George. I’m not overly high on Carrington like everyone else, I though he should’ve been taken more like 20-30 but he’s obviously the young point guard of the future for them. George similarly not very high on him but late first, unlikely to see much anyway. Filipowski would’ve been better but it is what it is.
Be interesting to see what they do if they make any more trades and the signings they target in FA. As it stands, Brogdan Poole Coulibaly Kuzma Sarr …. Lacks in defence and don’t think it meshes particularly well but its steps in the right direction atleast.
Moving forward I’d actually like to see them trade Kuzma, play Sarr as a PF and get in a centre. I like the idea of Vuce, who’s got a solid offensive game and rebounds well but isn’t a great defender, but with Sarr next to him you have more athleticism, defensive ability and so on.
Especially if Tyus stays he kinda needs go to guys on offence and Vuce and Poole would be his two main options. Then off the bench I’d keep one of Brogdan or Shamet, ideally Malcom and have him run the second unit. Try turn this side into a competitive rebuilding side not just your typical mid 30’s winning side
Portland chose to hold on to Brogdon last year, but guess they could have had someone better?
Brogdon’s 22 million salary will be traded again.
Even though Brooklyn enters rebuild mode, this trade could make sense if it doesnt require much assets:
Simmons for Brogdon and Shamet. By using the Harris trade exception, they reset the counter and create a new one that can be used next season. And Nets get two more moveable expiring contracts and a little salary reduction.
Doesnt need to be a standalone trade, this could also happen as part of a three-team trade.
For Washington, it would be in order to get a few 2nd rounders. Not sure if it’s worth it from their side though.