New Trail Blazer Already Wants to Finish Career Elsewhere

A key fresh face in Portland is already eyeing the end of the line.

Nov 3, 2023; Portland, Oregon, USA; The Portland Trail Blazers logo at center court before the game against the Memphis Grizzlies at Moda Center. Mandatory Credit: Soobum Im-Imagn Images / Soobum Im-Imagn Images

New Portland Trail Blazers starting small forward (presumably) Deni Avdija, acquired via a trade with the Washington Wizards ahead of June's 2024 NBA Draft, may have just gotten to town. But it appears that the 6-foot-9 wing may already be eyeing the end of his career. Given that he's just 23, that is presumably a long way off for the fifth-year vet.

During a conversation with Moshe Barda of ONE (hat tip to BasketNews for the transcription), Avdija was asked if he'd be amenable to returning to Israeli League club Maccabi Tel Aviv, the Israeli club with whom he spent the first three pro seasons of his career, 2017-20, before declaring for the 2020 NBA Draft. The Washington Wizards selected him with the ninth pick, ahead of future All-NBA point guard Tyrese Haliburton.

“Wow, I hope so," Avdija said of a potential return. "I really hope that I’ll get to play in Israel during the last years of my career, but let’s see.”

Avdija was traded in June in exchange for veteran point guard Malcolm Brogdon, the rights to the No. 14 pick in this year's draft (used to select Pittsburgh guard Bub Carrington), a 2029 future first round pick, and two future second round selections.

Elsewhere in the interview, a reflective Avdija looked back on his now-concluded tenure with the Wizards.

“I felt that Washington was my home for four years. I built friendships there and built relationships with the coaches there. I felt like I was part of this team, and I also connected with it emotionally a little. And then comes this moment when you are no longer there, and you have to understand that this is it and there is no choice,” he told Barda. “Although it wasn’t the most glamorous team in the world, we made it to the playoffs once. I was injured [at that time], but I went a long way with this club.”

Avdija is alluding to his rookie season, during which he was only healthy for 54 regular season contests (32 starts). That year's Wizards, led by All-Star shooting guard Bradley Beal, finished with the East's eighth seed thanks to a 34-38 record, and fell to the top-seeded Philadelphia 76ers in a 4-1 first round "gentlemen's sweep."

Most recently, Avdija averaged a career-best 14.7 points while slashing .506/.374/.740, 7.2 boards, 3.8 dimes, 0.8 swipes and 0.5 rejections a night across 75 healthy games for the 15-67 Wizards last season.

“I believe that now I’m entering a new world where I’m discovering new abilities both mentally and physically, and I believe that I will succeed.”

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