Will the Wizards Regret Trading Deni Avdija?

Was trading Deni Avdija a good move or will it come back to bite the Washington Wizards?

Feb 22, 2025; Portland, Oregon, USA; Portland Trail Blazers forward Deni Avdija (8) dribbles the ball during the second half against Charlotte Hornets guard Josh Green (10) at Moda Center. Mandatory Credit: Troy Wayrynen-Imagn Images / Troy Wayrynen-Imagn Images

Tonight, former Washington Wizards forward Deni Avdija suits up in the locker room in Capital One Arena, but it'll be in the visitors locker room for the first time. This is his first game back in DC and passions will be high. He'll have something to prove to the team that drafted him during a pandemic, developed him, and signed him to one of the cheapest extensions in the NBA.

Avdija was then traded to Portland for guard Malcolm Brogdon, the draft rights to Bub Carrington, a 2029 1st round pick, and two 2nd round picks. It was not a bad trade, the Wizards got great value overall and acquired a future star in Bub Carrington but the question remains, will the Wizards regret letting him go?

Wizards Will Regret Avdija

It's tough to justify trading a 24-year-old 3&D player on a crazy team-friendly contract to most people but Will Dawkins is doing what every GM does when they take on a new team: prioritizing his players.

Sometimes, players from the last regime can fit the new GM's vision, but not this time. Deni fit the timeline at some point and was dealt because he carried tremendous trade value and would help the Wizards acquire young talent for the future. The thing is, their young core is developing faster than many thought and the Wizards could be a play-in team in 2026-2027, especially if they hit in the upcoming draft.

Avdija could have slotted nice beside Bilal Coulibaly and Alex Sarr and could have formed one of the best young defensive lineups in the NBA. It'll go down as another woulda, coulda, shoulda in Wizards' history.

Wizards Will Not Regret Trading Avdija

The Wizards got a good return for Deni, and Bub Carrington is a star in the making. He's pesky on defense and has a scorer mentality on offense. The question with Bub is, where do you play him? Looking at this play, there's playmaking and general potential, but the possibility for him at shooting guard, too. When you look at Deni Avdija, he's thriving in Portland. Sometimes trades work out for both parties, which is the case here, resulting in a win for both teams.

Deni was a hit in the draft for the Wizards and one of the few good moves by former GM Tommy Sheppard, but he'll be another draft pick playing well somewhere else. It's all good though, because Will Dawkins is the right captain for the ship and Bub Carrington will be a vital piece to the Wizards championship future.

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