Washington Wizards 2020 NBA Draft: Deni Avdija profile

Can the Washington Wizards afford a project?

Avdija is an exciting prospect. However, can the Washington Wizards afford to take a chance on a guy who has shown flashes of brilliance but may need a bit more polishing before he’s ready to shine on the main stage? The Wizards need to win now with Wall and Beal’s window closing.  Avdija might not be ready to help them for another couple of years.

After the success of Luka Doncic, many are making the easy (but lazy) comparison between Avdija and the Slovenian superstar, calling Avdija “Luka 2.0” or something. Avdija is a great player, but comparing him to Doncic does him no favors. While Avdija is a willing and able (and good) passer, he’s nowhere near as creative or skilled as Doncic is when it comes to dropping dimes. And while Avdija won an MVP in the Israeli Premier League before coming to the NBA, Doncic won one in the EuroLeague. The same EuroLeague Avdija struggled to thrive in.

This isn’t to say Avdija can’t become a good or even great player. With his size, skillset, and sound decision-making, the sky is the limit. But there are legitimate reasons to worry whether his scoring ability can translate to the NBA. He struggles from the foul line, struggles from three, and struggles to create his own shot. If he can’t solve those problems, he’ll never be more than a complementary player.

Most mocks have Avdija going off the board before the Wizards have a chance to pick him. If he’s there, it’ll be hard to pass up such potential, but the Wizards need something more solid. Avdija needs time that the Wizards simply do not have.