Wizards' Young Defenders Spoil Deni Avdija's Homecoming

The Washington Wizards are still too early in the point of their rebuild to have many lore-filled matchups with any league-wide opponents. The vast majority of the roster remain on their rookie contracts, having only ever known the Wizards and the other prospects lining the rotation since joining the NBA.

Notable former Wizards around the league like Bradley Beal and Russell Westbrook have no history or beef with the current iteration of the squad, largely viewed as veteran professionals passing like ships in the night whenever they're healthy enough to make the trip to D.C.

That's what makes Deni Avdija such a unique exception to that precedent. He's the rare known quantity to be traded away from the Wizards while still on the rise, dealt to the Portland Trail Blazers a season and a half ago due to his own timeline coordinating poorly with the revamped rebuild. A large subsection of the Wizards' fan base remains convinced that management made the wrong choice by moving on from the potential All-Star for the Bub Carrington-headlined package they got in return, and Avdija himself certainly didn't sound pleased about the move in opening up on the trade last year.

Jan 27, 2026; Washington, District of Columbia, USA; Portland Trail Blazers forward Deni Avdija (8) passes the ball over Washington Wizards center Alex Sarr (20) during the first half at Capital One Arena. Mandatory Credit: Daniel Kucin Jr.-Imagn Images | Daniel Kucin Jr.-Imagn Images

Monumental Basketball President Michael Winger, however, stated during a press conference on Jan. 22 that dealing Avdija away wasn't an error on the Wizards' part.

“No, it was not a mistake," Winger said in a video posted by the team on YouTube. "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.”

His Blazers are scheduled for one trip to Washington per season, and he was set on suiting up for this one after being initially labeled as questionable going in. But just as how he was ready to assert himself at the site of the team that once drafted him, the Wizards' defense was ready waiting for him, too.

The 25.8 point per game scorer still got his 17 for the night, but it didn't arrive easily. He shot 6/14 in coughing up a half-dozen turnovers, and ultimately succumbed to Washington's wing defense in a 115-111 loss.

Wizards' Understanding of the Moment

Bilal Coulibaly looked particularly set on shutting down his old teammate. The pair of lottery picks shared a locker room for the 2023-24 season, and Coulibaly made his intentions known in attempting to pick Avdija up at half-court in his first game back from another injury-laden absence.

He spent over five minutes of game-time on Portland's top scorer, enough to lead all deterrants by a mile. Avdija was picked twice on his watch, with Coulibaly repeatedly partnering with teammates for double-team steals and trusting that his attentive helpers could convert on any errant passes.

Coulibaly was unshakeable whenever Avdija looked to switch away from him, even denying several shots with a few emphatic blocks. And when the prospect-turned-star deferred closing responsibilities to the hotter-shooting Shaedon Sharpe, there was Jamir Watkins, who'd previously stood Avdija up several times, to hold down the win with a few tight last-second contests.

Washington Wizards Guard Jamir Watkins — Jan 22, 2026; Washington, District of Columbia, USA; Washington Wizards guard Jamir Watkins (5) looks on during the first half against the Denver Nuggets at Capital One Arena. Mandatory Credit: Daniel Kucin Jr.-Imagn Images | Daniel Kucin Jr.-Imagn Images

The Wizards wouldn't have pulled this one out without some of their own offense, which they got from Carrington, the player whose draft rights Washington secured in the Avdija trade, as well as Kyshawn George and Alex Sarr, the younger pieces who've soaked up all of the shots that once went to Avdija.

The rebuild hasn't always looked pretty, and the Wizards have caught no shortage of flack for parting with the burgeoning scorer, but this served as a rare opportunity for the Wizards to fire off an "I told you so" to those doubting why they elected to re-start and go all-in on this most recent batch of draft classes. The current Wizards are the future, and they revealed just how dogged they can be when a situation with any stakes falls into their lap.

Make sure you bookmark Washington Wizards on SI for the latest news, exclusive interviews, film breakdowns and so much more!