Wizards Executive Doesn't Think Deni Avdija Trade Was a Mistake

With the Washington Wizards beginning to take the proper steps to exit their rebuild and enter a stage of playoff contention in the near future, many fans and members of the media have begun to reminisce and think back on moves that were made that could be considered mistakes. Whether it was a poor draft choice, bad signing, or an overall poor judgment of a player, Washington has had their fair share of slip-ups over time.

Although hindsight is always 20-20, one of the more apparent “mistakes” that was made by the organization recently was trading away forward Deni Avdija to the Portland Trail Blazers. At the time of the trade, Avdija had just wrapped up his fourth season in the NBA, averaging 14.7 points, 7.2 rebounds, and 3.8 assists per game — all of which were career highs.

Despite the clear improvements he had made to his game, the Wizards front office was left with a difficult decision, as they would either be forced to extend the 23-year-old to a long-term deal or look to shop him to another team. Although it was a difficult decision, Washington’s front office decided that it was best for both Avdija and the timeline of the franchise to let him go and allow him to thrive elsewhere — and thrive he has.

Now in year six, the 25-year-old has made the leap into stardom, averaging 26 points, 7.1 rebounds, and 6.9 assists per game and is likely en route to his first-ever All-Star selection. Avdija has stamped himself as one of the best forwards in the entire NBA and has fully maximized his potential after the change of scenery.

Portland Trail Blazers Forward Deni Avdija — Jan 9, 2026; Portland, Oregon, USA; Portland Trail Blazers forward Deni Avdija (8) drives to the basket during the second half against Houston Rockets guard Amen Thompson (1) at Moda Center. Mandatory Credit: Troy Wayrynen-Imagn Images | Troy Wayrynen-Imagn Images

Wizards Executive Doesn't Regret Avdija Trade

Although it would be very easy for Wizards fans to say that this was the fault of the front office, it’s hard to argue against the rationale they had. There is no guarantee that if Avdija did stay with Washington and continued to develop under the Wizards coaching staff that he would turn out to be anywhere near the player he is now.

“No, it was not a mistake," Monumental Basketball President Michael Winger said during a press conference on Jan. 22. "We’re all very happy for Deni. We saw Deni as a very high-level ascending player…but no, we did it for the reasons we said then which was to take us back a couple of years so we could reset the roster and so that everybody was on the same age curve and Deni’s ahead of that.”

It’s fun to think about how he would have turned out and how he would blend into the Wizards’ current team considering the other young players that have taken D.C. by storm. However, if Avdija stayed around and stuck with this system, there is no guarantee that Washington’s roster would look anything like it does now, making this thought bubble completely irrelevant to the current stage of the Wizards franchise.

It may be fun to think about and tough to reminisce on, but at the end of the day the Wizards moving on from Avdija was the right move for both him and the team’s future.

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