Deni Avdija

[Chocolate City Jordanaire]

Agree with Prime. He's now mistaking and learning each game about the NBA, unlike last year. This is actually his "rookie year". He needs time to work on his offense, he'll have the summer and he's still young. Right now i think he needs some rest (1-2 games out to gain some energy, he plays each game). But i do love to see him trying and take the ball. He needs to shoot less 3's and be more agressive going to the rim, but overall he is a lot more active than passive in offense and that's an improvement for me and that way he'll get better. I do think the potential is there but this year we won't see him shine there. For the protocol, i agree that right now, offcourse you can find high schoolers with a more developed offensive skill set. No doubt.

I kind of think you might be the player but if you are not I will say that you are also correct

[Chocolate City Jordanaire]

The Avdija criticism while unsurprising is disappointing. When I criticized Avdija earlier in the year it's because he was playing scared and avoiding opportunities. Now people are criticizing him not for passivity but a lack of success. He just turned 21 years old. He's going to struggle. The key barometers for Avdija are not whether or he's a "good player," but whether or not he's showing improvement. The difference between Avdija last year and Avdija this year are night and day. And the fact that he has enough confidence to go out, make mistakes and learn from them bodes very well for himself going forward. Avdija will be just fine.

I feel like the only 21 case can be a cop out at times. By this age, even if it’s not consistent, players show you glimpses of their offensive potential.

The mistakes I want to see are through him growing his game. Attacking the close out going left when the opportunity is there, finishing at the basket with your left or a pull up jumper if the defense gives you it. I don’t think anyone would be upset if those were the mistakes he were making. The past few games Deni has been taking a lot of contested long jumpers. Not only is that not his game, it shows how uncomfortable he still is at attacking a defense.

At 21, nearly 100 games in Deni’s career high in points is 20. Now I’m not giving up on him being a solid all around player. But I don’t think he’s the must keep player that others are making him out to be. At the end of the day it’s an offensive league.

I believe and I'm pretty sure he's doing one thing a lot of 21 year olds never learn & that's how to play defense.

I would just judge him by his net rating while on the court

[Chocolate City Jordanaire]

For the life of me I don't get the Deni love he's almost as big of a clown as the one residing in the White House

Whew this is juicy

[Chocolate City Jordanaire]

For the life of me I don't get the Deni love he's almost as big of a clown as the one residing in the White House

The only thing I've got to say to you is who's got big balls?

Watch on YouTube

[prime1time]

The Avdija criticism while unsurprising is disappointing. When I criticized Avdija earlier in the year it's because he was playing scared and avoiding opportunities. Now people are criticizing him not for passivity but a lack of success. He just turned 21 years old. He's going to struggle. The key barometers for Avdija are not whether or he's a "good player," but whether or not he's showing improvement. The difference between Avdija last year and Avdija this year are night and day. And the fact that he has enough confidence to go out, make mistakes and learn from them bodes very well for himself going forward. Avdija will be just fine.

Why? These are facts and observations. This is feeling like Jan Vesely all over again, wishing/hoping a high-drafted foreign player is going to develop a set of offensive tools that players taken after him already have and are contributing more now while we wait and hope. The best that we can hope-for with Deni is that he will at-least be able to knock-down those open looks at a good clip, making him a decent role-player off the bench who can defend while not being an offensive liability, but that would make him a decent late-round/early 2nd round pick. We would kill to have 11th pick Devin Vassell on our team right now.

Watch on YouTube

Because it's too early to jump to conclusions. When I see a young player that has the confidence to go out and make mistakes and be criticized I get encouraged. The Vesely comparison is a bad one because Vesely never had the confidence to even try. That's why I criticized Avdija at the beginning of the season. You have to try and learn from your mistakes. Of course, because fans are the way they are, they will tear you down when you don't succeed. Avdija has shown clear progress from last year. Plus he's a all-NBA defense-caliber player. How is that a disaster?

The best that we can hope-for with Deni is that he will at-least be able to knock-down those open looks at a good clip, making him a decent role-player off the bench who can defend while not being an offensive liability, but that would make him a decent late-round/early 2nd round pick

If you think that the above is a late-first/early 2nd round pick. Let's run down the 2020 draft lottery

1. Anthony Edwards (worthy)
2. James Wiseman (how do you evaluate?)
3. LaMelo Ball (worthy(
4. Patrick Williams (late first/early 2nd?)
5. Isaac Okoro (late first/early 2nd?)
6. Onyeka Okongwu (how do you evaluate?)
7. Killian Hayes (Deni is clearly better)
8. Obi Toppin (Deni is clearly better)
9. Deni
10. Jalen Smith (Suns rejected option)
11. Devin Vassell (Is he not a late first/2nd round pick?)
12. Tyrese Haliburton (3rd best player in the draft after Edwards and Ball)
13. Kira Lewis (he's not better than Deni)
14. Aaron Nesmith (late first/early 2nd?)

I mean just look at the players, what they have accomplished and ask yourself a simple question. Is Deni the problem or is your unrealistic expectations the problem? To draft a competent player is a success at #9. Wizards fans seem to have unrealistic expectations where the guy we draft at #9 is supposed to develop into Kawhi Leonard or Paul George or Jimmy Butler. I have news for you, not even those guys were on that level in their 2nd year. Deni has things he needs to work on. His career will be determined by how well he addresses those issues.

Ultimately, there is no seeing eye to eye between fans who see young players and focus on progress and fans who see young players and focus on their current status. I've had the debates over and over again regarding Rui and I don't care to rehash them now. But yes it is disappointing because by virtually any measure, Deni has made significant progress from last year to this year and his confidence level reflects it.

[CntOutSmrtCrazy]

The Avdija criticism while unsurprising is disappointing. When I criticized Avdija earlier in the year it's because he was playing scared and avoiding opportunities. Now people are criticizing him not for passivity but a lack of success. He just turned 21 years old. He's going to struggle. The key barometers for Avdija are not whether or he's a "good player," but whether or not he's showing improvement. The difference between Avdija last year and Avdija this year are night and day. And the fact that he has enough confidence to go out, make mistakes and learn from them bodes very well for himself going forward. Avdija will be just fine.

Why? These are facts and observations. This is feeling like Jan Vesely all over again, wishing/hoping a high-drafted foreign player is going to develop a set of offensive tools that players taken after him already have and are contributing more now while we wait and hope. The best that we can hope-for with Deni is that he will at-least be able to knock-down those open looks at a good clip, making him a decent role-player off the bench who can defend while not being an offensive liability, but that would make him a decent late-round/early 2nd round pick. We would kill to have 11th pick Devin Vassell on our team right now.

Watch on YouTube

Because it's too early to jump to conclusions. When I see a young player that has the confidence to go out and make mistakes and be criticized I get encouraged. The Vesely comparison is a bad one because Vesely never had the confidence to even try. That's why I criticized Avdija at the beginning of the season. You have to try and learn from your mistakes. Of course, because fans are the way they are, they will tear you down when you don't succeed. Avdija has shown clear progress from last year. Plus he's a all-NBA defense-caliber player. How is that a disaster?

The best that we can hope-for with Deni is that he will at-least be able to knock-down those open looks at a good clip, making him a decent role-player off the bench who can defend while not being an offensive liability, but that would make him a decent late-round/early 2nd round pick

If you think that the above is a late-first/early 2nd round pick. Let's run down the 2020 draft lottery

1. Anthony Edwards (worthy)
2. James Wiseman (how do you evaluate?)
3. LaMelo Ball (worthy(
4. Patrick Williams (late first/early 2nd?)
5. Isaac Okoro (late first/early 2nd?)
6. Onyeka Okongwu (how do you evaluate?)
7. Killian Hayes (Deni is clearly better)
8. Obi Toppin (Deni is clearly better)
9. Deni
10. Jalen Smith (Suns rejected option)
11. Devin Vassell (Is he not a late first/2nd round pick?)
12. Tyrese Haliburton (3rd best player in the draft after Edwards and Ball)
13. Kira Lewis (he's not better than Deni)
14. Aaron Nesmith (late first/early 2nd?)

I mean just look at the players, what they have accomplished and ask yourself a simple question. Is Deni the problem or is your unrealistic expectations the problem? To draft a competent player is a success at #9. Wizards fans seem to have unrealistic expectations where the guy we draft at #9 is supposed to develop into Kawhi Leonard or Paul George or Jimmy Butler. I have news for you, not even those guys were on that level in their 2nd year. Deni has things he needs to work on. His career will be determined by how well he addresses those issues.

Ultimately, there is no seeing eye to eye between fans who see young players and focus on progress and fans who see young players and focus on their current status. I've had the debates over and over again regarding Rui and I don't care to rehash them now. But yes it is disappointing because by virtually any measure, Deni has made significant progress from last year to this year and his confidence level reflects it.

With a major injury and being relegated to being a spot up shooter last year. An after thought in Brooks’ world.

[dckingsfan]

Spoiler:

The Avdija criticism while unsurprising is disappointing. When I criticized Avdija earlier in the year it's because he was playing scared and avoiding opportunities. Now people are criticizing him not for passivity but a lack of success. He just turned 21 years old. He's going to struggle. The key barometers for Avdija are not whether or he's a "good player," but whether or not he's showing improvement. The difference between Avdija last year and Avdija this year are night and day. And the fact that he has enough confidence to go out, make mistakes and learn from them bodes very well for himself going forward. Avdija will be just fine.

Why? These are facts and observations. This is feeling like Jan Vesely all over again, wishing/hoping a high-drafted foreign player is going to develop a set of offensive tools that players taken after him already have and are contributing more now while we wait and hope. The best that we can hope-for with Deni is that he will at-least be able to knock-down those open looks at a good clip, making him a decent role-player off the bench who can defend while not being an offensive liability, but that would make him a decent late-round/early 2nd round pick. We would kill to have 11th pick Devin Vassell on our team right now.

Watch on YouTube

Because it's too early to jump to conclusions. When I see a young player that has the confidence to go out and make mistakes and be criticized I get encouraged. The Vesely comparison is a bad one because Vesely never had the confidence to even try. That's why I criticized Avdija at the beginning of the season. You have to try and learn from your mistakes. Of course, because fans are the way they are, they will tear you down when you don't succeed. Avdija has shown clear progress from last year. Plus he's a all-NBA defense-caliber player. How is that a disaster?

The best that we can hope-for with Deni is that he will at-least be able to knock-down those open looks at a good clip, making him a decent role-player off the bench who can defend while not being an offensive liability, but that would make him a decent late-round/early 2nd round pick

If you think that the above is a late-first/early 2nd round pick. Let's run down the 2020 draft lottery

1. Anthony Edwards (worthy)
2. James Wiseman (how do you evaluate?)
3. LaMelo Ball (worthy(
4. Patrick Williams (late first/early 2nd?)
5. Isaac Okoro (late first/early 2nd?)
6. Onyeka Okongwu (how do you evaluate?)
7. Killian Hayes (Deni is clearly better)
8. Obi Toppin (Deni is clearly better)
9. Deni
10. Jalen Smith (Suns rejected option)
11. Devin Vassell (Is he not a late first/2nd round pick?)
12. Tyrese Haliburton (3rd best player in the draft after Edwards and Ball)
13. Kira Lewis (he's not better than Deni)
14. Aaron Nesmith (late first/early 2nd?)

I mean just look at the players, what they have accomplished and ask yourself a simple question. Is Deni the problem or is your unrealistic expectations the problem? To draft a competent player is a success at #9. Wizards fans seem to have unrealistic expectations where the guy we draft at #9 is supposed to develop into Kawhi Leonard or Paul George or Jimmy Butler. I have news for you, not even those guys were on that level in their 2nd year. Deni has things he needs to work on. His career will be determined by how well he addresses those issues.

Ultimately, there is no seeing eye to eye between fans who see young players and focus on progress and fans who see young players and focus on their current status. I've had the debates over and over again regarding Rui and I don't care to rehash them now. But yes it is disappointing because by virtually any measure, Deni has made significant progress from last year to this year and his confidence level reflects it.

To those that wanted Halliburton

[Ruzious]

Spoiler:

Why? These are facts and observations. This is feeling like Jan Vesely all over again, wishing/hoping a high-drafted foreign player is going to develop a set of offensive tools that players taken after him already have and are contributing more now while we wait and hope. The best that we can hope-for with Deni is that he will at-least be able to knock-down those open looks at a good clip, making him a decent role-player off the bench who can defend while not being an offensive liability, but that would make him a decent late-round/early 2nd round pick. We would kill to have 11th pick Devin Vassell on our team right now.

Because it's too early to jump to conclusions. When I see a young player that has the confidence to go out and make mistakes and be criticized I get encouraged. The Vesely comparison is a bad one because Vesely never had the confidence to even try. That's why I criticized Avdija at the beginning of the season. You have to try and learn from your mistakes. Of course, because fans are the way they are, they will tear you down when you don't succeed. Avdija has shown clear progress from last year. Plus he's a all-NBA defense-caliber player. How is that a disaster?

The best that we can hope-for with Deni is that he will at-least be able to knock-down those open looks at a good clip, making him a decent role-player off the bench who can defend while not being an offensive liability, but that would make him a decent late-round/early 2nd round pick

If you think that the above is a late-first/early 2nd round pick. Let's run down the 2020 draft lottery

1. Anthony Edwards (worthy)
2. James Wiseman (how do you evaluate?)
3. LaMelo Ball (worthy(
4. Patrick Williams (late first/early 2nd?)
5. Isaac Okoro (late first/early 2nd?)
6. Onyeka Okongwu (how do you evaluate?)
7. Killian Hayes (Deni is clearly better)
8. Obi Toppin (Deni is clearly better)
9. Deni
10. Jalen Smith (Suns rejected option)
11. Devin Vassell (Is he not a late first/2nd round pick?)
12. Tyrese Haliburton (3rd best player in the draft after Edwards and Ball)
13. Kira Lewis (he's not better than Deni)
14. Aaron Nesmith (late first/early 2nd?)

I mean just look at the players, what they have accomplished and ask yourself a simple question. Is Deni the problem or is your unrealistic expectations the problem? To draft a competent player is a success at #9. Wizards fans seem to have unrealistic expectations where the guy we draft at #9 is supposed to develop into Kawhi Leonard or Paul George or Jimmy Butler. I have news for you, not even those guys were on that level in their 2nd year. Deni has things he needs to work on. His career will be determined by how well he addresses those issues.

Ultimately, there is no seeing eye to eye between fans who see young players and focus on progress and fans who see young players and focus on their current status. I've had the debates over and over again regarding Rui and I don't care to rehash them now. But yes it is disappointing because by virtually any measure, Deni has made significant progress from last year to this year and his confidence level reflects it.

To those that wanted Halliburton

A good all-around player in his 2nd year picked after Deni? It can't be!

[badinage]

Spoiler:

Because it's too early to jump to conclusions. When I see a young player that has the confidence to go out and make mistakes and be criticized I get encouraged. The Vesely comparison is a bad one because Vesely never had the confidence to even try. That's why I criticized Avdija at the beginning of the season. You have to try and learn from your mistakes. Of course, because fans are the way they are, they will tear you down when you don't succeed. Avdija has shown clear progress from last year. Plus he's a all-NBA defense-caliber player. How is that a disaster?



If you think that the above is a late-first/early 2nd round pick. Let's run down the 2020 draft lottery

1. Anthony Edwards (worthy)
2. James Wiseman (how do you evaluate?)
3. LaMelo Ball (worthy(
4. Patrick Williams (late first/early 2nd?)
5. Isaac Okoro (late first/early 2nd?)
6. Onyeka Okongwu (how do you evaluate?)
7. Killian Hayes (Deni is clearly better)
8. Obi Toppin (Deni is clearly better)
9. Deni
10. Jalen Smith (Suns rejected option)
11. Devin Vassell (Is he not a late first/2nd round pick?)
12. Tyrese Haliburton (3rd best player in the draft after Edwards and Ball)
13. Kira Lewis (he's not better than Deni)
14. Aaron Nesmith (late first/early 2nd?)

I mean just look at the players, what they have accomplished and ask yourself a simple question. Is Deni the problem or is your unrealistic expectations the problem? To draft a competent player is a success at #9. Wizards fans seem to have unrealistic expectations where the guy we draft at #9 is supposed to develop into Kawhi Leonard or Paul George or Jimmy Butler. I have news for you, not even those guys were on that level in their 2nd year. Deni has things he needs to work on. His career will be determined by how well he addresses those issues.

Ultimately, there is no seeing eye to eye between fans who see young players and focus on progress and fans who see young players and focus on their current status. I've had the debates over and over again regarding Rui and I don't care to rehash them now. But yes it is disappointing because by virtually any measure, Deni has made significant progress from last year to this year and his confidence level reflects it.

To those that wanted Halliburton

A good all-around player in his 2nd year picked after Deni? It can't be!

Enh.

He’s a nice player. For sure. But — I feel pretty sure I’m saying also for sure — he wouldn’t have made this team better.

[dckingsfan]

Spoiler:

To those that wanted Haliburton

A good all-around player in his 2nd year picked after Deni? It can't be!

Enh.

He’s a nice player. For sure. But — I feel pretty sure I’m saying also for sure — he wouldn’t have made this team better.

I get to disagree with you on this one.

First, it means that we wouldn't have had the panic that we had during the off-season around PG. It likely means we wouldn't have chased either Dinwiddie or Holiday.

Two, he is a big PG that defends really well and distributes the ball really well. He is already better than Dinwiddie (opinion). I think Beal would have benefitted more from Haliburton that Dinwiddie (conjecture).

Reminder, I am a huge Deni fan - but Haliburton is just better.

[badinage]

Good points.

[closg00]

Spoiler:

To those that wanted Halliburton

A good all-around player in his 2nd year picked after Deni? It can't be!

Enh.

He’s a nice player. For sure. But — I feel pretty sure I’m saying also for sure — he wouldn’t have made this team better.

Are you serious?! Haliburton wouldn't be superior to: Deni, Kispert, Holiday, on the Wizards?

[long suffrin' boulez fan]

Yep. I was pretty pissed that Halli was on the board and we didn’t pick him.

Deni is good though. I’d still rate Halliburton > Deni, but Deni does things to help you win ball games.

[badinage]

A good all-around player in his 2nd year picked after Deni? It can't be!

Enh.

He’s a nice player. For sure. But — I feel pretty sure I’m saying also for sure — he wouldn’t have made this team better.

Are you serious?! Haliburton wouldn't be superior to: Deni, Kispert, Holiday, on the Wizards?

Impossible to know for certain … I’m saying that I don’t think he alone would have made this team measurably better than Deni.

I watch these games, and I see a guy in Deni who gets stops. Who creates possessions.

Halliburton in the four or five games I’ve seen hasn’t progressed much this year. I don’t see him doing a whole helluva lot to sway games.

Would I like him? Sure I would. He’s a nice player.

I’m very happy with Deni. And I would love to see Deni surrounded with guys who fight hard on D and make the right pass. And who can shoot and move. I think that would help unlock other parts of his game.

He does need to keep working on his shot and his handle. And he needs to find his shots more in the O.

[dckingsfan]

Yep. I was pretty pissed that Halli was on the board and we didn’t pick him.

Deni is good though. I’d still rate Halliburton > Deni, but Deni does things to help you win ball games.

Yep, Deni was a good pick (in hindsight) and he could end up being better than Haliburton in time.

But I watch all of the Kings and Wizards game - right now Haliburton is just better.

[NatP4]

Haliburton is such a stud. 7:2 A/TO shooting 45% from 3. Impact player on both ends this year. Still only 21. Not many guards are that efficient and take care of the ball at the ages of 20&21. Going to be a really good lead guard for a long time. Probably going to be like a Mike Conley type, massive positive impact, but not super flashy so he doesn’t get all the recognition.

90% of this board wanted Haliburton. Still think it was a mistake to pass on him.

[nate33]

Haliburton is such a stud. 7:2 A/TO shooting 45% from 3. Impact player on both ends this year. Still only 21. Not many guards are that efficient and take care of the ball at the ages of 20&21. Going to be a really good lead guard for a long time. Probably going to be like a Mike Conley type, massive positive impact, but not super flashy so he doesn’t get all the recognition.

90% of this board wanted Haliburton. Still think it was a mistake to pass on him.

Also, there appears to be a relative scarcity of good guards, whereas combo forwards are everywhere.

[tontoz]

Just watched the Bulls game and paid attention to Deni's 3 pt attempts. His first 3 were contested catch and shoot attempts. When i say contested i mean his defender jumped to try and block it.

In these situations i think he is much better off just driving. I don't recall seeing him faking a 3 and driving, He needs to add that to his game. He isn't a good enough shooter to make contested 3s at a reasonable rate.

[smoothSeph]

Just watched the Bulls game and paid attention to Deni's 3 pt attempts. His first 3 were contested catch and shoot attempts. When i say contested i mean his defender jumped to try and block it.

In these situations i think he is much better off just driving. I don't recall seeing him faking a 3 and driving, He needs to add that to his game. He isn't a good enough shooter to make contested 3s at a reasonable rate.

Which is where some of us lie extremely frustrated. Because this is an elementary level counter in 99% of player’s games. It should not need to be taught to an NBA player.

[Zonkerbl]

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