The Washington Wizards see big things for Deni Avdija, which pundits feel is why the Israeli small forward was handed a new four-year deal.
The ninth overall pick of the 2020 NBA Draft has reportedly agreed to a four-year $55 million contract extension with the Wizards, according to his agent, Doug Neustadt and Matan Siman-Tov via ESPN.
The deal was announced ahead of the October 23 deadline for members of the 2020 Draft Class to sign rookie-scale extensions.
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Avdija has developed into a starting small forward for the Wizards and is expected to take on a more prominent role starting this coming NBA season as the Wizards continue to rebuild, CBS Sports reported.
Last season, the 6-foot-9 cager averaged 9.2 points, 6.4 rebounds, 2.8 assists, and 0.9 steals in 76 games. Worth noting is that Avdija had 11 double-double performances and started in 40 games.
Wizards expecting big things from Deni Avdija
One person who sees promise in Avdija is Wizards general manager Will Dawkins. He has been monitoring the off-season progress of the former lottery pick and likes what he is seeing.
"He's really invested in his body this summer and really invested with the team," he said via the Bleacher Report. "We've had a lot of people travel to go visit him and just spend time with him. He spent time in D.C. this summer."
Avdija is part of the Wizards' youth movement
With Bradley Beal and Kristaps Porzingis gone, the Wizards are leaning on a young core to start a new era.
Aside from Avdija, the other young Wizards players include Jordan Poole, Corey Kispert, Johnny Davis, and Bilal Coulibaly. The Wizards new run start this 2023-24 NBA season when they face the Indiana Pacers on Wednesday, October 25.
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