The Washington Wizards are in one of the worst situations in the NBA. After losing John Wall to an off-court achilles injury, the Wizards had a horrendous 2018-2019 campaign that landed them a top-ten selection in last year’s draft. Instead of blowing things up this Summer as it looked like they were primed to do, they instead signed Bradley Beal to a two-year maximum extension.
Thus, it appears that the Wizards are prepared to keep the band together until John Wall comes back in 2020-2021. Thus, selecting a positional need is probably the route they will take.
After moving Otto Porter Jr. to Chicago at the 2019 NBA Trade Deadline, the Wizards have been left with virtually no options on the wing.
Enter Deni Evdija, the 6-foot-8 combo-forward from Israel. His upside lies in his offensive skillset, as he is able to shoot and dribble at a high level. These guard-type skills in forwards are the way the NBA seems to be moving, but there are concerns with his game.
Physically, Avdija is nothing to write home about, as he is not exceptionally strong or fast. His defense is also lackluster, but he has shown improvement of late. In addition, the 18-year-old has seen success in international play.
The international player pool is becoming increasingly larger and stronger. As these international prospects become more abundant and successful at the NBA level, the stigma of drafting overseas players has become far less of an issue. In fact, Avdija is viewed by many scouts as one of the highest floors in his draft class.