Deni Avdija

[oldshoolballer]

I love everything I'm seeing the defense surprised me. Plays like a vet. Wizards nailed it with Deni.

[nate33]

Brooks sort of leaked that Deni will be starting in his media availability today. He was talking about the importance of leadership and said “we could have 19, 21 and 23 years old starting in our frontcourt once Rui is back so leadership is big”

Also sounds like Bonga or Brown won't be in the starting lineup since they are also 21 and we wouldn't have to wait for Rui to return for for his comment be true. So chances are the starters are: Westbrook, Beal, Deni, Bertans, Bryant.

If Bertans was going to start, he wouldn't have made the comment at all.

I think Brown or Bonga, or possibly Gil will start alongside Avdija. I really don't think Bertans will start.

[J-Ves]

Brooks sort of leaked that Deni will be starting in his media availability today. He was talking about the importance of leadership and said “we could have 19, 21 and 23 years old starting in our frontcourt once Rui is back so leadership is big”

Also sounds like Bonga or Brown won't be in the starting lineup since they are also 21 and we wouldn't have to wait for Rui to return for for his comment be true. So chances are the starters are: Westbrook, Beal, Deni, Bertans, Bryant.

If Bertans was going to start, he wouldn't have made the comment at all.

I think Brown or Bonga, or possibly Gil will start alongside Avdija. I really don't think Bertans will start.

Maybe he forgot Bonga and Brown are also 21. My personal hope is Bonga starts even if that means Deni has to play slightly out of position at PF.

[NatP4]

Also sounds like Bonga or Brown won't be in the starting lineup since they are also 21 and we wouldn't have to wait for Rui to return for for his comment be true. So chances are the starters are: Westbrook, Beal, Deni, Bertans, Bryant.

If Bertans was going to start, he wouldn't have made the comment at all.

I think Brown or Bonga, or possibly Gil will start alongside Avdija. I really don't think Bertans will start.

Maybe he forgot Bonga and Brown are also 21. My personal hope is Bonga starts even if that means Deni has to play slightly out of position at PF.

I don’t think it matters all that much, some combination of Brown/Bonga/Avdija/Bertans will fill all of the minutes at the 3/4 and backup 2 minutes and the C will be the screener in pick and roll as opposed to the 4 and 5 both setting screens, which is a big difference IMO. We will have Russ and Brad playing pick and roll with Bryant while the other 3 players space the floor and shoot open 3s or attack closeouts.

It reminds me of when I used to complain endlessly about the unnecessary 2 man game and post ups for Morris instead of playing 4 out 1 in with Oubre and Porter at the 3/4 positions. It’s a big stylistic change, one that benefits Westbrook a lot.

[nate33]

Also sounds like Bonga or Brown won't be in the starting lineup since they are also 21 and we wouldn't have to wait for Rui to return for for his comment be true. So chances are the starters are: Westbrook, Beal, Deni, Bertans, Bryant.

If Bertans was going to start, he wouldn't have made the comment at all.

I think Brown or Bonga, or possibly Gil will start alongside Avdija. I really don't think Bertans will start.

Maybe he forgot Bonga and Brown are also 21. My personal hope is Bonga starts even if that means Deni has to play slightly out of position at PF.

If Bonga and Deni start, I think Bonga will guard the more dangerous offensive threat, whether it's PF or SF. Against Philly, Bonga will guard Simmons and Deni will guard Harris.

[NatP4]

Chase Hughes reported that the wizards attempted to trade up to 4 with Chicago in order to pick Deni but the price was too high. Said they were certain NY would select him at 8 and were “shocked” that he dropped to 9.

[J-Ves]

Chase Hughes reported that the wizards attempted to trade up to 4 with Chicago in order to pick Deni but the price was too high. Said they were certain NY would select him at 8 and were “shocked” that he dropped to 9.

Interesting. I wonder what the Wizards were willing to give up to move to 4.

[NatP4]

Chase Hughes reported that the wizards attempted to trade up to 4 with Chicago in order to pick Deni but the price was too high. Said they were certain NY would select him at 8 and were “shocked” that he dropped to 9.

Interesting. I wonder what the Wizards were willing to give up to move to 4.

Good question. The fact that they would’ve taken him 4th overall is pretty telling about how they view him as a prospect.

Also, what the hell was Chicago thinking drafting Patrick Williams??? He has to be the most mediocre top 5 prospect I have ever seen. I don’t even think he will turn into a decent rotation player. You can go down the list of the top 10 picks, Okoro and Avdija have been good, not sure about the Maryland guy at #10, but the rest, awful. Edwards and Ball shot sub 30% in preseason. Toppin averaged more TOs than assists, shot 9% from 3....9%!!!. Patrick williams was terrible.

I know it’s just preseason, but it’s a lot more telling than summer league, and Avdija looks like the best player in the class so far.

[mhd]

Chase Hughes reported that the wizards attempted to trade up to 4 with Chicago in order to pick Deni but the price was too high. Said they were certain NY would select him at 8 and were “shocked” that he dropped to 9.

Interesting. I wonder what the Wizards were willing to give up to move to 4.

I have to figure it was TBJ. I don't think they would have traded Rui (considering the international ties and the fact we don't have a PF on the roster besides him).

[Kanyewest]

Chase Hughes reported that the wizards attempted to trade up to 4 with Chicago in order to pick Deni but the price was too high. Said they were certain NY would select him at 8 and were “shocked” that he dropped to 9.

Interesting. I wonder what the Wizards were willing to give up to move to 4.

I have to figure it was TBJ. I don't think they would have traded Rui (considering the international ties and the fact we don't have a PF on the roster besides him).

Bulls must have PTSD from Porter and/or Satoransky Wizards glue guys if they turned down that trade.

[Kanyewest]

Chase Hughes reported that the wizards attempted to trade up to 4 with Chicago in order to pick Deni but the price was too high. Said they were certain NY would select him at 8 and were “shocked” that he dropped to 9.

Interesting. I wonder what the Wizards were willing to give up to move to 4.

I also wonder if the Wizards were willing to move up fewer spots. Perhaps the Knicks could have gotten an asset to move down a spot and they would have still gotten their guy.

[Ruzious]

Chase Hughes reported that the wizards attempted to trade up to 4 with Chicago in order to pick Deni but the price was too high. Said they were certain NY would select him at 8 and were “shocked” that he dropped to 9.

Interesting. I wonder what the Wizards were willing to give up to move to 4.

Good question. The fact that they would’ve taken him 4th overall is pretty telling about how they view him as a prospect.

Also, what the hell was Chicago thinking drafting Patrick Williams??? He has to be the most mediocre top 5 prospect I have ever seen. I don’t even think he will turn into a decent rotation player. You can go down the list of the top 10 picks, Okoro and Avdija have been good, not sure about the Maryland guy at #10, but the rest, awful. Edwards and Ball shot sub 30% in preseason. Toppin averaged more TOs than assists, shot 9% from 3....9%!!!. Patrick williams was terrible.

I know it’s just preseason, but it’s a lot more telling than summer league, and Avdija looks like the best player in the class so far.

Patrick Williams going that high was the most bizarre pick of the draft. I guess he was picked for his perimeter defense, but he wasn't even the best perimeter defender on his team. And he's got no offensive game. The question is - will he be better than Kevin Knox? At least Knox lasted till the 9th pick a few drafts ago.

[NatP4]

Interesting. I wonder what the Wizards were willing to give up to move to 4.

Good question. The fact that they would’ve taken him 4th overall is pretty telling about how they view him as a prospect.

Also, what the hell was Chicago thinking drafting Patrick Williams??? He has to be the most mediocre top 5 prospect I have ever seen. I don’t even think he will turn into a decent rotation player. You can go down the list of the top 10 picks, Okoro and Avdija have been good, not sure about the Maryland guy at #10, but the rest, awful. Edwards and Ball shot sub 30% in preseason. Toppin averaged more TOs than assists, shot 9% from 3....9%!!!. Patrick williams was terrible.

I know it’s just preseason, but it’s a lot more telling than summer league, and Avdija looks like the best player in the class so far.

Patrick Williams going that high was the most bizarre pick of the draft. I guess he was picked for his perimeter defense, but he wasn't even the best perimeter defender on his team. And he's got no offensive game. The question is - will he be better than Kevin Knox? At least Knox lasted till the 9th pick a few drafts ago.

I just don’t see it. He doesn’t seem to have high basketball IQ, he’s a PF that doesn’t rebound or shoot/make 3s, he turns it over a lot and doesn’t get assists. He doesn’t really handle the ball. I don’t really see a path to even becoming a useful bench player......and they took him 4th overall!!!

[Frichuela]

Chase Hughes reported that the wizards attempted to trade up to 4 with Chicago in order to pick Deni but the price was too high. Said they were certain NY would select him at 8 and were “shocked” that he dropped to 9.

Whether this is true or not, the reality is that we got very lucky with Deni dropping to 9.

[nate33]

Chase Hughes reported that the wizards attempted to trade up to 4 with Chicago in order to pick Deni but the price was too high. Said they were certain NY would select him at 8 and were “shocked” that he dropped to 9.

Interesting. I wonder what the Wizards were willing to give up to move to 4.

I have to figure it was TBJ. I don't think they would have traded Rui (considering the international ties and the fact we don't have a PF on the roster besides him).

Or maybe TBJ was the price that was too high. Maybe they initially offered Bonga and/or Wagner plus a 2nd but Chicago wanted TBJ.

[DCZards]

Patrick Williams is going to be a very good NBA player. Like Deni he's just 19 years old...in fact he's a full 8 months younger than Deni.

[NatP4]

Patrick Williams is going to be a very good NBA player. Like Deni he's just 19 years old...in fact he's a full 8 months younger than Deni.

I will be shocked. Deni was a good player in the 2nd best league in the world as a 19 year old, and had a fantastic preseason. Williams was an awful player in college basketball, followed by an awful preseason showing.

[DCZards]

Patrick Williams is going to be a very good NBA player. Like Deni he's just 19 years old...in fact he's a full 8 months younger than Deni.

I will be shocked. Deni was a good player in the 2nd best league in the world as a 19 year old, and had a fantastic preseason. Williams was an awful player in college basketball, followed by an awful preseason showing.

We'll just have to wait and see about Williams, I guess.

I don't want to sleight Deni because, like you, I think he's a good player with the potential to be an outstanding NBA player. But I don't know where you get the idea that he played in the second best league in the world. I've seen The Euroleague and Spain's Liga ACB (the two leagues that Luka D. played in) consistently ranked as the top two non-NBA leagues.

I'm not convinced that the Israeli Basketball Premier League is better than the ACC or some of the other top college conferences.

Fran Fraschilla, who follows the international stuff closely, doesn't even rank the Israeli Basketball Premier League in this top ten international leagues. (See article below.)

https://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/21691644/fran-fraschilla-ranks-world-top-basketball-leagues-nba

[NatP4]

Patrick Williams is going to be a very good NBA player. Like Deni he's just 19 years old...in fact he's a full 8 months younger than Deni.

I will be shocked. Deni was a good player in the 2nd best league in the world as a 19 year old, and had a fantastic preseason. Williams was an awful player in college basketball, followed by an awful preseason showing.

We'll just have to wait and see about Williams, I guess.

I don't want to sleight Deni because, like you, I think he's a good player with the potential to be an outstanding NBA player. But I don't know where you get the idea that he played in the second best league in the world. I've seen The Euroleague and Spain's Liga ACB (the two leagues that Luka D. played in) consistently ranked as the top two non-NBA leagues.

I'm not convinced that the Israeli Basketball Premier League is better than the ACC or some of the other top college conferences.

Fran Fraschilla, who follows the international stuff closely, doesn't even rank the Israeli Basketball Premier League in this top ten international leagues. (See article below.)

https://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/21691644/fran-fraschilla-ranks-world-top-basketball-leagues-nba

Good thing Deni played 34 games in the Euroleague over the past 2 years then! 5 more games than Patrick Williams played in college basketball!

[doclinkin]

I will be shocked. Deni was a good player in the 2nd best league in the world as a 19 year old, and had a fantastic preseason. Williams was an awful player in college basketball, followed by an awful preseason showing.

We'll just have to wait and see about Williams, I guess.

I don't want to sleight Deni because, like you, I think he's a good player with the potential to be an outstanding NBA player. But I don't know where you get the idea that he played in the second best league in the world. I've seen The Euroleague and Spain's Liga ACB (the two leagues that Luka D. played in) consistently ranked as the top two non-NBA leagues.

...

Good thing Deni played 34 games in the Euroleague over the past 2 years then! 5 more games than Patrick Williams played in college basketball!

To be fair looking at his game logs it is a stretch to say Deni was a "good player" in Euroleague play.
https://www.basketball-reference.com/international/players/deni-avdija-1/gamelog/2020/euroleague/

He was a young player, contesting against grown professionals. He struggled. Towards the end he had a string of a few games where he was able to show some effectiveness. But hardly dominant, not quite good, despite earning increased minutes.

He had less success against grown pros than Patrick WIlliams had against his competition in the ACC. Which you would expect.
https://www.sports-reference.com/cbb/players/patrick-williams-2/gamelog/2020