Portland Trail Blazers forward Deni Avdija admitted he was caught off guard when the Washington Wizards traded him to the Trail Blazers.
Speaking with The Athletic’s Josh Robbins, Avdija recalled the moment he found out about the deal while in Israel.
“It was nighttime at my place, and I woke up. I saw I got traded, and it was very hard for me,” Avdija said.
“All the friendships that I had with the guys there, the city, the fans – it all just disappeared in a second. But everything’s for the good. I feel like I found a nice home in Portland.”
Since joining the Blazers, he has embraced a larger role and significantly elevated his production. In March, he averaged 20.9 points, 9.6 rebounds, and 5.0 assists per game, demonstrating his all-around impact.
Blazers head coach Chauncey Billups has been impressed by Avdija’s growth, praising his ability to handle increased responsibilities.
“We’ve let him have a lot more responsibility with the ball, and he keeps proving to get better and better at it,” Billups said. “He’s like a one-man fast break when he gets the ball.
“Some of these things, I didn’t even know about when we got him, because we only played him twice a year, so I didn’t know that much. But he’s been a pleasant surprise. The fire that he plays with, I think, takes our team to another level.”
Northwest Notes: SGA, Dort, Avdija, Kessler https://t.co/7YWbOPEyZD pic.twitter.com/WQ4tJWsm1Z
— Hoops Rumors (@HoopsRumors) March 19, 2025
