Inside The Wizards

Former Wizards Guard Struggling With New Team

A former member of the Washington Wizards is struggling to adapt.

Jeremy Brener

Nov 27, 2024; Indianapolis, Indiana, USA; Portland Trail Blazers forward Deni Avdija (8) dribbles the ball while Indiana Pacers forward Pascal Siakam (43) defends in the second half at Gainbridge Fieldhouse. Mandatory Credit: Trevor Ruszkowski-Imagn Images
Nov 27, 2024; Indianapolis, Indiana, USA; Portland Trail Blazers forward Deni Avdija (8) dribbles the ball while Indiana Pacers forward Pascal Siakam (43) defends in the second half at Gainbridge Fieldhouse. Mandatory Credit: Trevor Ruszkowski-Imagn Images / Trevor Ruszkowski-Imagn Images
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The Washington Wizards made a trade with the Portland Trail Blazers over the offseason that sent former top 10 pick Deni Avdija to Rip City for Malcolm Brogdon and the draft rights to Bub Carrington.

Though Avdija had a career year for the Wizards in the 2023-24 campaign, things haven't gone as smoothly with the Blazers this season.

"Portland traded Malcolm Brogdon, the lottery pick that was used on Bub Carrington, a 2029 first-round pick and two second-round picks to acquire the last four years of Avdija’s de-escalating contract. It hasn’t gone great. Avdija went from a career-best 50.7 percent from the field last season with the Wizards to a career-low 40.6 percent to begin his first season with the Trail Blazers. Simply put, Avdija has gone from a superb finisher to a poor one, with the 3-point shooting regressing to where it was in his first three NBA seasons. While Avdija lost his starting job, he is starting to play better off the bench," The Athletic reporter Law Murray writes.

The trade made sense for both sides at the time, though it looks like the Wizards may have the edge through the first couple of months after the deal. The trade hasn't been won on either side, but the winner of the deal will likely come down to how much value Bub Carrington can produce as the Wizards point guard of the future.

Carrington has been demoted to the bench in favor of Brogdon over the past few games, but the No. 14 overall pick from this year's draft is expected to assume that role either later in the season or early next year.

The Wizards are back in action tomorrow night as they take on the Dallas Mavericks at home. Tipoff is set for 7 p.m. ET.

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Jeremy Brener
JEREMY BRENER

Jeremy Brener is an editor, writer and social media manager for several Fan Nation websites. His work has also been featured in 247 Sports and SB Nation as a writer and podcaster. Brener has been with Fan Nation since 2021. Brener grew up in Houston, going to Astros, Rockets and Texans games as a kid. He moved to Orlando in 2016 to go to college and pursue a degree. He hosts "The Dream Take" podcast covering the Rockets, which has produced over 350 episodes since March 2020. Brener graduated in May 2020 from the University of Central Florida with a Bachelor's degree in Broadcast Journalism minoring in Sport Business Management. While at UCF, Brener worked for the school's newspaper NSM.today and "Hitting the Field," a student-run sports talk show and network. He was the executive producer for "Hitting the Field" from 2019-20. During his professional career, Brener has covered a number of major sporting events including the Pro Bowl, March Madness and several NBA and NFL games. As a fan, Brener has been to the 2005 World Series, 2010 FIFA World Cup and the 2016 NCAA National Championship between the Villanova Wildcats and North Carolina Tar Heels. Now, Brener still resides in the Central Florida area and enjoys writing, watching TV, hanging out with friends and going to the gym. Brener can be followed on Twitter @JeremyBrener. For more inquiries, please email jeremybrenerchs@gmail.com.

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