Deni Avdija

[Wizraeli]

Deni in the last 5 games:

Kings: 15pts 10reb 3ast
Nuggets: 16pts 8reb 6ast
Spurs: 21pts 11reb 6ast
Raptors: 15pts 9 reb 7ast
Celtics: 25pts 10reb 5ast

People here kept asking me why should the Wizards give Deni more roles on offense and put the ball in his hands when he hasn't shown he's good enough and why should a team change its game plan, this is the answer, I kept saying that when he's an integral part of the offense, when the ball actually moves between the players and he knows he's not going to be benched after every mistake he's a different player, suddenly he's going left, suddenly he's averaging 47% from 3pt in those 5 games, suddenly he looks like a 15-5-5+ avg player and a solid playmaker.

Trade Kuzma, give Deni his role next year, if he'll be good, great, extend his contract, if he'll be bad, let him go, I don't see what the Wizards have to loose, it's much better than paying Kuzma millions and getting an unwatchable team in return.

[CntOutSmrtCrazy]

Deni in the last 5 games:

Kings: 15pts 10reb 3ast
Nuggets: 16pts 8reb 6ast
Spurs: 21pts 11reb 6ast
Raptors: 15pts 9 reb 7ast
Celtics: 25pts 10reb 5ast

People here kept asking me why should the Wizards give Deni more roles on offense and put the ball in his hands when he hasn't shown he's good enough and why should a team change it's game plan, this is the answer, I kept saying that when he's an integral part of the offense, when the ball actually moves between the players and he knows he's not going to be benched after every mistake he's a different player, suddenly he's going left, suddenly he's averaging 47% from 3pt in those 5 games, suddenly he looks like a 15-5-5+ avg player and a solid playmaker.

Trade Kuzma, give Deni his role next year, if he'll be good, great, extend his contract, if he'll be bad, let him go, I don't see what the Wizards have to loose, it's much better than paying Kuzma millions and getting an unwatchable team in return.

This team is so very stupid for not trading Kuzma at the deadline. Had a guy waiting in the wings who is the obvious replacement and could have gotten a pick or two in return.

[dckingsfan]

Deni in the last 5 games:

Kings: 15pts 10reb 3ast
Nuggets: 16pts 8reb 6ast
Spurs: 21pts 11reb 6ast
Raptors: 15pts 9 reb 7ast
Celtics: 25pts 10reb 5ast

People here kept asking me why should the Wizards give Deni more roles on offense and put the ball in his hands when he hasn't shown he's good enough and why should a team change it's game plan, this is the answer, I kept saying that when he's an integral part of the offense, when the ball actually moves between the players and he knows he's not going to be benched after every mistake he's a different player, suddenly he's going left, suddenly he's averaging 47% from 3pt in those 5 games, suddenly he looks like a 15-5-5+ avg player and a solid playmaker.

Trade Kuzma, give Deni his role next year, if he'll be good, great, extend his contract, if he'll be bad, let him go, I don't see what the Wizards have to loose, it's much better than paying Kuzma millions and getting an unwatchable team in return.

This team is so very stupid for not trading Kuzma at the deadline. Had a guy waiting in the wings who is the obvious replacement and could have gotten a pick or two in return.

This.

But. Before we get too awfully carried away... in those same 5 games Deni had 14 TOs and was a net +/- -36.

[CntOutSmrtCrazy]

Deni in the last 5 games:

Kings: 15pts 10reb 3ast
Nuggets: 16pts 8reb 6ast
Spurs: 21pts 11reb 6ast
Raptors: 15pts 9 reb 7ast
Celtics: 25pts 10reb 5ast

People here kept asking me why should the Wizards give Deni more roles on offense and put the ball in his hands when he hasn't shown he's good enough and why should a team change it's game plan, this is the answer, I kept saying that when he's an integral part of the offense, when the ball actually moves between the players and he knows he's not going to be benched after every mistake he's a different player, suddenly he's going left, suddenly he's averaging 47% from 3pt in those 5 games, suddenly he looks like a 15-5-5+ avg player and a solid playmaker.

Trade Kuzma, give Deni his role next year, if he'll be good, great, extend his contract, if he'll be bad, let him go, I don't see what the Wizards have to loose, it's much better than paying Kuzma millions and getting an unwatchable team in return.

This team is so very stupid for not trading Kuzma at the deadline. Had a guy waiting in the wings who is the obvious replacement and could have gotten a pick or two in return.

This.

But. Before we get too awfully carried away... in those same 5 games Deni had 14 TOs and was a net +/- -36.

Agreed. Deni needs to work on those TOs, we get on Kuzma and other dudes about it, so it's only fair.

With that said, Deni is 22 so he gets more of a leash from me. Also, take this with as big of a grain of salt as you want, but I feel like with a lot of Deni's turnovers, he is truly trying to be a good teammate and make the right play. He doesn't quite have the technique to where it needs to be yet, but to me not all TOs are created equally, especially. Kuzma gets travels, steps out of bounds, and just gets a lot of TOs trying to be a ball hog.

As for +/-, I'm usually a big advocate for, but at this point in the season to where we are at as a team, I'm more lenient with. Aside from the Denver game, I guess Orlando too, he's been fine. That Denver lineup with Jokic is a death lineup, so not terribly surprising, although admittedly Deni had like 3-4 costly turnovers in a row in that game that cost them dearly.

Just my two cents.

[Wizraeli]

But. Before we get too awfully carried away... in those same 5 games Deni had 14 TOs and was a net +/- -36.

True, but the unfortunate stats are that 14 TOs in 5 games are 2.8 per game which is still surprisingly less than Kuzma's season average of 3.0.

I'm not claiming Deni is the next league's MVP, but he's capable to so much more than what he's shown in the last 3 seasons, but to show that he needs a much bigger leash than what he received so far and the team needs to move the ball on offense instead of the Beal / Kuzma shooting practice type of play the Wiz are doing.

[Runner300]

What is Deni's +/- in March? Just curious if we are thinking that this month is an indicator and how he is carrying his team.

-70 in March. If we ignore the last 3 games, - 50. Plus 33 in February

Also seems like everyone has a negative plus minus in March. Beal is minus 23, Kuzma was - 51.

Yeah he has like 3/4 horrific games in the +/- department in March, those two ATL games are ones that I recall off the top of my head and what started the pitchforks to come out.

It's just his turn to be a scapegoat.
Every other player, the coach, the owner were put through the shredder by the fans already.
I don't blame them, actually.

[dckingsfan]

But. Before we get too awfully carried away... in those same 5 games Deni had 14 TOs and was a net +/- -36.

True, but the unfortunate stats are that 14 TOs in 5 games are 2.8 per game which is still surprisingly less than Kuzma's season average of 3.0.

I'm not claiming Deni is the next league's MVP, but he's capable to so much more than what he's shown in the last 3 seasons, but to show that he needs a much bigger leash than what he received so far and the team needs to move the ball on offense instead of the Beal / Kuzma shooting practice type of play the Wiz are doing.

First, I am a huge Deni fan - you can go back to when he was drafted. Second, most secondary players can be "so much more" if the team would only play to their strengths. The reason this doesn't happen is because it is about putting your best players in that position. Third, that Kuzma isn't all that doesn't mean Deni has been all that either - yet. He is just 22. But the poor 3-point shooting and especially the TOs and need to improve if you want him to be that primary ball handler. And he needs to pick up his defensive intensity all while doing more on offense.

Question: You are Wes, at the beginning of the season with how Deni played - you make him your primary ball handler? You make him one of the focuses of the offense? I don't think so.

Wes has made Porzingis the focus of the offense - good move. When Beal is in, he will also be the focus of the offense (due to past seasons).

Wes has constantly given Deni more leash when the opportunity has presented itself in context (Beal/Kuzma injuries). But if Deni is going to be one of the "big 3" (and most of us are rooting hard for that - he is a fan favorite not a scapegoat), he is going to need to take some pretty consistent steps forward.

[arusinov]

But. Before we get too awfully carried away... in those same 5 games Deni had 14 TOs and was a net +/- -36.

True, but the unfortunate stats are that 14 TOs in 5 games are 2.8 per game which is still surprisingly less than Kuzma's season average of 3.0.

I'm not claiming Deni is the next league's MVP, but he's capable to so much more than what he's shown in the last 3 seasons, but to show that he needs a much bigger leash than what he received so far and the team needs to move the ball on offense instead of the Beal / Kuzma shooting practice type of play the Wiz are doing.

First, I am a huge Deni fan - you can go back to when he was drafted. Second, most secondary players can be "so much more" if the team would only play to their strengths. The reason this doesn't happen is because it is about putting your best players in that position. Third, that Kuzma isn't all that doesn't mean Deni has been all that either - yet. He is just 22. But the poor 3-point shooting and especially the TOs and need to improve if you want him to be that primary ball handler. And he needs to pick up his defensive intensity all while doing more on offense.

Question: You are Wes, at the beginning of the season with how Deni played - you make him your primary ball handler? You make him one of the focuses of the offense? I don't think so.

Wes has made Porzingis the focus of the offense - good move. When Beal is in, he will also be the focus of the offense (due to past seasons).

Wes has constantly given Deni more leash when the opportunity has presented itself in context (Beal/Kuzma injuries). But if Deni is going to be one of the "big 3" (and most of us are rooting hard for that - he is a fan favorite not a scapegoat), he is going to need to take some pretty consistent steps forward.

Well. Speaking about Deni's efficiency and turnovers...

It was actually not 14 but 17 turnovers in those 5 games. 17 tov, 27 ast e.g. 1.59 ast/tov ratio ,and for the year it's 1.77 ast/tov.
Kuzma ast/tov ratio is 1.26 this season

Deni's TS% those 5 games is 71.2 (I agree is not sustainable) but generally Deni's TS% this season is 54.4 %. Kuz TS% this season is... 54.4%

And if we look since the "turbo thing" started (e.g. Rui's trade) which is precisely 30 games - with all bumps and (temporary) regression Deni averages 11 / 7/ 3 on 47.4 / 34.4 / 71.8 split - 57.4% TS%, and also 1.84 ast/ tov.

Kuz's season best ts% was 54.9%, and never ever had better than 1.38 ast/tov season

I can't even understand why didn't they move Kuzma at trade dead line... but if they will sign him to bigger contract this summer it would be horrible not only for Deni but for Wizards at all

[Wizraeli]

First, I am a huge Deni fan - you can go back to when he was drafted. Second, most secondary players can be "so much more" if the team would only play to their strengths. The reason this doesn't happen is because it is about putting your best players in that position. Third, that Kuzma isn't all that doesn't mean Deni has been all that either - yet. He is just 22. But the poor 3-point shooting and especially the TOs and need to improve if you want him to be that primary ball handler. And he needs to pick up his defensive intensity all while doing more on offense.

Deni needs to improve, he needs to play every night with the same confidence and intensity he has played with in the last 5 games, and he also needs to reduce the TOs, but after 3 years it's safe to say he's not going to improve when he hardly gets the ball and when he's benched after every mistake, some players needs the ball in their hands in order to improve and Deni is very evidently one of those type of players.

I don't agree it's about playing your best players strengths, it should be about playing winning and entertaining basketball, if playing your best players strengths produces that outcome, then great, but if it doesn't you need to put the lineups that does on the court and change your playing style to a style that fits what you got and not what you wish you've got, and an healthy franchise also knows how to incorporate its young players in that system at the same time, the Wizards simply don't know how to do that and have no real long term plan regarding their draft picks, Deni wasn't drafted under the tag line of a shooter, exactly the opposite, yet the Wizards tried to play him as a 3&D from the moment he got here and when it failed they either shortened his leash or showed him the doghouse, we can say he needs to improve all we want, but it's simply not going to happen when he has no room to make mistakes, young players make mistakes, it's part of the development process, but when the "big 3" are all healthy the Wizards system simply does not allow young players to make mistakes because they are benched, so how will he ever improve in that situation?

Question: You are Wes, at the beginning of the season with how Deni played - you make him your primary ball handler? You make him one of the focuses of the offense? I don't think so.

People forget that Deni started the season very well and shot 53% from 3pt, things only went downhill when Wes shortened his leash and benched him at the half of the game against the same Boston he scored a career high yesterday.

The question is not if me or anyone else would put him as the PRIMARY ball handler, there's no reason to the all or nothing scenario people keep bringing up, it's not either Deni is the star of the team or nothing, even in the last 5 games he wasn't the highest scorer, the difference is that in contrary to what has happened in most of the season he was one of the players that the offense ran through, one of, not the only one, and in an healthy team that what should be the standard all of the time and not only when your star players are not playing.

Would I put him as the focus of the offense? no, but I don't think he even wants to be the focus of the offense, it looks like he enjoys being the playmaker much more than a scorer then why not play him as such? he makes 2.8 TOs / game? (in the last 5 games) ok, so does Kuzma(3.0), Beal(2.9) and KP(2.1), when you got the ball a lot you make turnovers, it's normal, and considering he's young, still learning and probably just going to get better I think it's a good enough reason to bet on him when along side those 2.8 TOs he averages 18.4 pts, 9.6 reb, 5.4 ast and 1 stl while being one of the better defenders on the team.

Wes has constantly given Deni more leash when the opportunity has presented itself in context (Beal/Kuzma injuries). But if Deni is going to be one of the "big 3" (and most of us are rooting hard for that - he is a fan favorite not a scapegoat), he is going to need to take some pretty consistent steps forward.

The fact Deni needs to wait for other players to get injured in order to get more credit in his 3rd year on the team is not a positive thing, it just shows how bad the Wizards are with incorporating young players in their system.

I agree he needs to take a lot of steps forward, but for better and worse it's probably not going to happen without the ball in his hands, the Wizards needs to make a decision next year regarding whether they are betting on Deni or Kuzma, I know what you think they should do, you can take a not very wild guess regarding what I think they should do, we'll have to wait and see what the Wizards staff thinks they should do...

[nate33]

I completely reject this narrative that WUJ has Avdija in some sort of permanent dog house where he is not allowed to make mistakes and gets benched constantly.

If you just look at the numbers of our top 9 rotation guys (by total minutes played), Deni ranks dead last in the efficiency stats (TS% and TOV%) while also being 2nd-to-last in points per minute. This is a truly awful offensive output. He is 2nd-to-last in WS/48 and PER. He is the 2nd most foul-prone behind Gafford. And despite all of this, he ranks 3rd in total minutes played.

Avdija is not in anybody's dog house. Wes is giving him the minutes he deserves, and arguably more than he deserves on merit alone.

I'm thrilled that his individual numbers have picked up in the last 30 games after Rui's departure, but let's not overlook that last night's win against Boston was the first win against a non-tanking team since March 2nd. They're were 0 for their last 10 against teams that were actually trying to win.

[nate33]

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