Deni Avdija

[prime1time]

I'm not ready to break out the rookie of the year award just yet. His biggest weakness is a total lack of a left hand. That's going to come out in the scouting report and he'll probably struggle for a while. But he'll figure it out. It might take a year or two, but it's not THAT hard to learn to play to your off hand. He'll become a real force when his handle gets tighter (and lower to the ground) and he learns to go to his left just as well to his right.

I've seen him use the left hand - I've watched basically all his scoring plays from Macabi last season. He dunks left, he can finish left, and he can use his left hand attacking hard to the hoop. It's something that needs to get better and from what I recall he has been working on it. So I think it's very extreme to say he has no left hand. My biggest complaint is less that he doesn't drive left and more that he brings the ball back to right hand instead of keeping it in his left and using his body to protect the ball from the defender. Tbh, I saw one really tough finish with his left hand and I stopped being concerned. We'll see though.

[DigitalBullets]

He look good

[JAR69]

Thought experiment: Would you trade Avdija for Okongwu today (straight up)?

[nate33]

Thought experiment: Would you trade Avdija for Okongwu today (straight up)?

Realistically, we would not have signed Lopez if we drafted Okongwu. So the hypothetical, is would you rather have Okongwu and, say, Mo Harkless? Or would you rather have Avdija and Lopez?

[NatP4]

Avdija forsure. Okongwu plays a position that is being phased out of the NBA, and already has foot issues. Avdija looks like he can play 4 positions.

[Frichuela]

Avdija forsure. Okongwu plays a position that is being phased out of the NBA, and already has foot issues. Avdija looks like he can play 4 positions.

Agreed. I was personally on the draft Okongwu bandwagon but that was because I could not foresee Deni dropping off the top-5. You have to remember that he was reportedly strongly considered by both the Warriors (at #2) and the Bulls (at #4).

We got very lucky in having Deni dropping to us.

[dobrojim]

Didn't go back very far in this thread to catch earlier comments and only remembering
what was said when the pick was announced which I'll paraphrase by saying I remember
folks questioning his shooting. Understanding we have only a tiny sample size to judge
by but his shooting looks good. Maybe we did finally get really lucky with this pick.

[NatP4]

Hopefully he gets 30 something minutes again tonight. Cut him loose. I don’t see what makes Edwards or Ball better prospects than Deni.

[payitforward]

Thought experiment: Would you trade Avdija for Okongwu today (straight up)?

Realistically, we would not have signed Lopez if we drafted Okongwu. So the hypothetical, is would you rather have Okongwu and, say, Mo Harkless? Or would you rather have Avdija and Lopez?

That's a little tough on deni, nate!! Lopez was a mistake all on his own.

What if we'd drafted Deni & signed Noel.

But, anyway, the question might be more interesting put slightly differently:

1. On draft night, if both Okongwu & Avdija had been on the board at #9, whom would you have taken? and
2. Right now, which of those 2 guys would you rather have?

I'm guessing -- tho I can't be sure -- that for most people the answer to question #1 would have been Okongwu.

Right now, OTOH, given Deni's first game, I'm sure the answer would be different. Of course, if Deni lays an egg tonight....

For the record, I'd have taken Deni on draft night w/o hesitation. A much higher rated player -- some people had him as the #1 player in the draft. OTOH, we don't know who'll wind up the better guy.

[dckingsfan]

What if we'd drafted Deni & signed Noel.

This... I still don't this get this one!

[JAR69]

But, anyway, the question might be more interesting put slightly differently:

1. On draft night, if both Okongwu & Avdija had been on the board at #9, whom would you have taken? and
2. Right now, which of those 2 guys would you rather have?

I'm guessing -- tho I can't be sure -- that for most people the answer to question #1 would have been Okongwu.

Right now, OTOH, given Deni's first game, I'm sure the answer would be different. Of course, if Deni lays an egg tonight....

For the record, I'd have taken Deni on draft night w/o hesitation. A much higher rated player -- some people had him as the #1 player in the draft. OTOH, we don't know who'll wind up the better guy.

I almost asked both questions, too. I think it is an interesting psychological question. I admit that I probably would have gone for Okongwu on draft night. Despite what Nate said about the position going away, I certainly was focused on a defensive big man.

[doclinkin]

Given our frontcourt defense, I would have gone for Okongwu. And still might. It says a lot about Deni that he has me even questioning that.

[long suffrin' boulez fan]

Given our frontcourt defense, I would have gone for Okongwu. And still might. It says a lot about Deni that he has me even questioning that.

Give me someone, anyone who’s not a total sieve in the middle.

Heck, I just went back and watched the fourth quarter of the Nets game. Pascenics is better than Bryant and Wagner on defense.

[payitforward]

Ok, so far most of those candid enough to answer say they would have picked Okongwu over Avdija had both been on the board. In fact, so far I'm the only one who is saying straight out that I'd have taken Deni over Okongwu.

In fact, of the first 8 picks, there are only 2 guys I'd have taken over Deni: Wiseman & Ball.

[Shoe]

We saw some of Deni's flaws - poor shooting, no left hand, no pull up game. I think he needs to stick with corner 3s for now. All that said he has a nice passing touch and plays heads up basketball, and he has the lateral quickness to stay in front of his man on defense. Also he's had some strong finishes at the rim although with his right hand even when he went left.

[prime1time]

Given our frontcourt defense, I would have gone for Okongwu. And still might. It says a lot about Deni that he has me even questioning that.

Give me someone, anyone who’s not a total sieve in the middle.

Heck, I just went back and watched the fourth quarter of the Nets game. Pascenics is better than Bryant and Wagner on defense.

Bryant had 4 blocks

[prime1time]

We saw some of Deni's flaws - poor shooting, no left hand, no pull up game. I think he needs to stick with corner 3s for now. All that said he has a nice passing touch and plays heads up basketball, and he has the lateral quickness to stay in front of his man on defense. Also he's had some strong finishes at the rim although with his right hand even when he went left.

How do we know those are flaws? What about that pull-up at the end of the 1st half? We need a little larger sample size.

[NatP4]

If he knocks down even one of those 3s, we look at last night as a good game from Deni. The shot still looked good, couple of those were halfway down. He played smart basketball, made the right reads, played excellent defense, rebounded, only took good shots. He is clearly NBA ready in the sense that he is a positive impact player when most rookies are not.

All he is going to be asked to do for this team, is play defense, rebound, catch and shoot, and sometimes attack a closeout and make a simple read. He is going to excel.

Who do we think produces a triple double first? Brown or Avdija?

[Frichuela]

If he knocks down even one of those 3s, we look at last night as a good game from Deni. The shot still looked good, couple of those were halfway down. He played smart basketball, made the right reads, played excellent defense, rebounded, only took good shots. He is clearly NBA ready in the sense that he is a positive impact player when most rookies are not.

All he is going to be asked to do for this team, is play defense, rebound, catch and shoot, and sometimes attack a closeout and make a simple read. He is going to excel.

Who do we think produces a triple double first? Brown or Avdija?

This. 100%. Remember he is only 19-years old and looks more poised than many of his older team-mates.

[payitforward]

Ditto! We saw a 19-year old miss a few shots. Those aren't "flaws" -- they're misses. Big deal.

Frichuela makes the key point: Avdija is extremely "poised." He looks at home on an NBA court, & he looks in control too. He takes the right shots. He plays defense. He forces nothing. So far so very very good!