The Washington Wizards have finally begun turning a corner into a new era of competitive basketball. Several trades, drafts, and signings after their last playoff appearance, Washington finally can see the light at the end of the tunnel. That said, some moves may have made the rebuild take a little longer. One, in particular, has aged extremely poorly; however, Monumental Basketball and Wizards President Michael Winger still believes it was the right call.
Wizards President Stands Firm On 2024 Trade: ‘Not A Mistake’
Let’s rewind just a few seasons, to the offseason of 2024. The Wizards were coming off one of, if not the worst, seasons in franchise and league history. There were a few bright spots, but none stood out the way Deni Avdija did. He averaged career numbers: 14.7 points, 7.2 rebounds, and 3.8 assists over his 75 appearances during the season. Avdija was the best young player on the roster and looked poised to become a focal point in the Wizards’ offense the following season.
However, leading up to the 2024 NBA Draft, Avdija would be sent to the Portland Trail Blazers in a shocking move. Washington would get a haul for him: Malcolm Brogdon, the 14th pick in the draft (which turned into Bub Carrington), and a 2029 first-round pick, along with 2028 and 2030 second-round picks as well.
In retrospect, drafting Carrington was great; however, Washington lost this trade by miles. Avdija is having (yet another) career season and will be remembered as the one that got away.
Avdija’s Ascension
Avdija has put the league on notice this season. Not only is he having a career year, but he’s on pace for his first All-Star appearance and should be up for several awards at the end of the campaign. Through 42 games this season, he’s averaged 26 points, 7.1 rebounds, and 6.9 assists while giving Portland a chance to compete in the postseason this year.
This looks terrible for Washington. However, Winger doesn’t seem to think much of it. In a recent press conference, Winger was asked about the Avdija trade and was very quick to defend the front office’s decision.
“No, it was not a mistake. I’m very, very happy for Deni. We’re all very happy for Deni. We saw Deni as a very high-level ascending player. Super happy for him, super happy for the Blazers. We’ve got a lot of friends there with the Blazers. But no, because we did it, we did it for the reasons we said then. Which is, in effect, take us back a couple years so that we could reset the roster and everybody was sort of the same age curve and Deni’s ahead of that curve.”
Is it true? Does the front office really not view it as a mistake? Subjectively, this can’t be true. Just to push this as a false narrative, let’s look at some recent moves to prove Winger may have some regrets.
“All Sales Are Final”
The roster is tied for the youngest in the league (23.8 years old). While on the surface, Winger’s statement does ring true to a degree, Washington’s recent moves don’t exactly line up with that. Avdija just turned 25-years-old, which would put him on the older side of the core.
However, Justin Champagnie and Jamir Watkins are both 24. Kyshawn George is 22, making him on the older side as well in just his second year in the league. Even their newest addition, Trae Young, is 27, making him almost three years older than Avdija.
The experience this roster could have while being so young is groundbreaking. Avdija is now in his sixth season in the league, leading a postseason-hopeful roster. He may not have turned into an All-Star in D.C, but the Wizards didn’t give him a chance. There is some serious coping going on in the Wizards’ front office. Unfortunately, he may turn into one of the biggest “what-ifs” in franchise history.
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