The Portland Trail Blazers exceeded all expectations when they clinched a spot in the NBA Playoffs, but now they find themselves tied up one-game a piece against the No. 2-seeded San Antonio Spurs in round 1.
Portland's success this season has, in large part, come to the monster leap from star forward Deni Avdija, who put together an All-Star campaign, averaging 24.2 points, 6.9 rebounds, and 6.7 assists, shooting 46.2% from field goal range and 31.8% from beyond the arc.
Avidja's emergence with the Trail Blazers seems to hinge on the change of scenery that allowed him to fully develop his game. Still, it's hard to ignore that this is the exact dream that Washington had when they took the versatile wing No. 9 overall during the 2020 NBA Draft.
Now, the dream has come alive but just now how the Wizards' envisioned it.
Wizards dream is unfolding in Portland courtesy of Deni Avdija
There's no denying that the Wizards are in a much better spot than they were entering the season, especially after the rise of young prospects on the roster like Alex Sarr and Kyshawn George.
Not to mention, the superstar acquisitions of Anthony Davis and Trae Young ahead of the NBA trade deadline in February.
At the same time, when Washington selected Advija, they had a vision of him becoming the versatile forward he's become in Portland, hoping that he could be the player to lead them back to the postseason.
Unfortunately, the Israel product was never able to take the step forward the Wizards hoped he could during his time in the DMV, which eventually led the team to the decision to switch gears with the trade to send Avdija to Portland in exchange for Malcolm Brogdon and a draft package that netted them Bub Carrington.
And while many could consider this deal a win-win for both sides, looking at how far each team has come, it's hard not to feel like Washington got the short end of the stick, considering how lackluster Brogdon was during his time in D.C. and the ceiling Carrington's play has given him.
Washington lost the Avdija deal
Obviously, the Wizards likely wouldn't have found the opportunities for Kyshawn George and Will Riley to break through if Avdija were still in the DMV.
Despite that, the Trail Blazers' star has become one of the best young players in the league, and considering Brogdon's underwhelming lone season in Portland before eventually retiring and the inconsistencies Carrington has shown, it's hard to put it any other way other than the Wizards came out on the losing end of this deal.
President of Monumental Basketball, Michael Winger, won't admit that Avdija's departure was a mistake, but looking at the results right now, there's not a great argument in his favor.
If the Wizards can develop a playoff roster of their own in the near future, it will make the reality of this deal easier to bear, but until then, it's safe to say Washington's dream is being lived out in the Western Conference now.
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