Path Blazers’ Deni Avdija adjusting to new environment: ‘I really feel at residence’

Deni Avdija was stunned when the Portland Path Blazers made a draft day commerce to accumulate him from the Washington Wizards final June.

The transfer led to a sleepless night time.

Almost 4 months later, Avdija has hung out on the sphere together with his new teammates, attending to know the entrance workplace and training employees and adjusting to his new setting, 2,800 miles west of his former residence.

“I’m positively getting used to it,” Avdija mentioned after a coaching camp apply Wednesday. “I will say at first it was a little bit bizarre, however now they’ve embraced me, they love me they usually need me to get higher. And I really feel like that is what you want as a brand new man on the staff. I really feel like my teammates help me, the coaches. I really feel at residence.

The Blazers have purpose to welcome the 6-foot-9 fifth-year ahead given all the things he can supply and at a cut price value.

Avdija, 23, improved final season as a shooter, is an aggressive rebounder, can play ahead and can convey toughness to the courtroom.

The Blazers suppose he was adequate to seize now and quit the No. 14 decide within the 2024 NBA Draft and conditional first-round decide in 2029, plus guard Malcolm Brogdon31 years outdated, who had one yr left on his contract and who doesn’t match right into a crowded backcourt.

That is a variety of upside for a participant who scored 14.7 factors with 7.1 rebounds and three.8 assists per sport for a 15-67 Wizards staff. Nevertheless, the Blazers imagine Avdija matches the rebuilding timeline and gives versatility on the courtroom and on the books, given his contract.

Avdija is owed $55 million over the following 4 seasons, a superb contract for such a flexible and rising participant.

However first. Avdija wants to slot in and proceed to develop. To date, coach Chauncey Billups hasn’t put Avdija in a particular field as a participant.

“Deni is only a basketball participant, so you utilize him all over the place,” Billups mentioned. “He’s additionally an excellent secondary playmaker. He can actually cross. He is type of a Swiss military knife sort man within the sense that you need to use them as a display, clearly his taking pictures has improved quite a bit. He can end. We’ll use it all over the place.

Avdija will begin alongside striker Jerami Grant. Billups is undecided on the particular ahead place every will play. Grant performed energy ahead final season.

“No matter is nice for the staff, regardless of the coach decides, I’ll respect the choice,” Avdija mentioned.

Grant additionally mentioned he did not care what place he performed, whereas acknowledging that Avdija was a greater rebounder.

Avdija believes it is going to be utilized in quite a lot of methods.

“I feel the coaches know I’m an excellent playmaker,” Avdija mentioned. “I can transfer everybody ahead. I can play a variety of spots on the sphere, and I really feel like they will benefit from that. I do not actually know the scheme but, however I’ll positively assist this staff quite a bit.

Level guard Scoot Henderson acknowledged the worth of Avdija’s versatility.

“Deni is a powerful man,” Henderson mentioned. “He additionally helps us with rhythm. He is hitting open pictures…I feel he will area us out. He is additionally an ideal outdated guard. As an example I get a little bit drained, I would like possession with out the ball, I may play with the ball.

After two days of coaching camp, Avdija already felt constructive about his new staff and thought he would slot in nicely.

“The environment is sweet,” he says. “The blokes labored laborious.”

Avdija elevated his taking pictures numbers to 50.6% from the sphere and 37.4% from three-point vary, up from 43.1% and 31.0% the earlier season. He’s taking pictures higher from the corners and is working to proceed to develop his shot from different areas of the courtroom.

Avdija’s taking pictures numbers jumped final season as a result of his work in the course of the summer season of 2023. Final summer season, he seemed to raise in different areas, together with creating off the dribble.

“I really feel like I’ve carried out an ideal job of maintaining the issues I introduced in final season and constructing on them,” he mentioned. “I like my shot, being constant, persevering with to shoot good pictures, after which from there constructing my sport.”