Ever since they traded away Damian Lillard a yr in the past, the Portland Path Blazers have been beginning to rebuild, and it hasn’t been fairly.
Final season, they went simply 21-61, their worst end because the 2005-06 season, and so they didn’t get a lot manufacturing out of Scoot Henderson, the No. 3 decide in final yr’s draft who averaged 14.0 factors per recreation whereas capturing simply 38.5 p.c from the sector.
They do have some good gamers, nonetheless, and head coach Chauncey Billups had an fascinating selection for his or her finest participant: ahead Deni Avdija, per NBACentral.
“Deni Avdija is probably the best player on the team with his setup and the way he plays.”
– Chauncey Billups on Portland’s finest participant
(Through @BlazersArgento ) pic.twitter.com/ui2cGs6FGz
— NBACentral (@TheDunkCentral) October 7, 2024
Avdija is among the few NBA gamers who’re initially from Israel, and the Washington Wizards made him the No. 9 general decide within the 2020 draft.
His first three seasons within the NBA had been quiet, however final season, he elevated his recreation and put up 14.7 factors and seven.2 rebounds a recreation whereas hitting 50.6 p.c of his photographs general and 37.4 p.c of his makes an attempt from 3-point vary.
If he continues to develop, he may help the Blazers house the ground, one thing they severely lacked final season.
They shot simply 34.5 p.c from past the arc in the course of the 2023-24 marketing campaign, which was useless final within the league, and so they had been additionally simply twentieth in 3-point makes an attempt.
Apart from Avdija, the Blazers’ two finest gamers are guard Anfernee Simons and Jerami Grant, who posted 22.6 factors and 21.0 factors a recreation, respectively, final season.
They hope Avdija will develop right into a bona fide star this yr and assist them get nearer to returning to the playoffs for the primary time since 2021.
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