Dribble, 6.2/Video editing: Ziv Steiner
The trade window in the NBA will close tomorrow (Thursday), and Washington may also undergo several changes.
In recent weeks, Danny Avdia's name has surfaced as one of the most sought-after players in the Wizards, but his team is expected to demand quite a price for him.
Evidence of Avdia's stock, which is gaining momentum thanks to his career-best season, also came today from the direction of Bill Simmons.
The world's most popular sports journalist usually ranks the players with the highest trade value in the league (based on ability, age, contracts, etc.), and placed Avdia at the edge of his top 75 list.
"He's dying to be on a good team," Simmons said.
"He's a player that every team would like, he's a swingman who can guard the 3-4 positions, he hits threes, he's tough, and he's trapped in the Wizards and they're terrible. I hope Boston somehow gets him, but it probably won't happen."
Along with Avdia in this category could be found his teammate Bilal Coulibaly, GG Jackson from Memphis, Aron Nismith from Indiana, Jordan Hawkins from New Orleans, Jaden McDaniels from Minnesota, Shaydon Sharp from Portland, Fred VanVillet from Houston, Emmanuel Quickley from Toronto, Terry Rozier of Miami, Vince Williams Jr. of Memphis, Anthony Black of Orlando, Malik Monk of Sacramento, Jeremy Grant of Portland, Derek Lively of Dallas, Tara Murphy of New Orleans, Usar Thompson of Detroit, Isaiah Hartenstein of New York, Devin Vassell of San Antonio and Colin Sexton of Utah.
Will finish the deadline as a Washington player?
Abdia/GettyImages, Scott Taetsch
Avdia was one point away from tying his career high against Phoenix on Sunday, but after scoring 24 points in the first three quarters, did not contribute at all in the final quarter.
The reason - the game was over, like many Wizards games earlier this season.
"The energy was there, I was aggressive, I tried to make the right decision and compete at the highest level, but in the end we lost and it doesn't matter," Avdia said ahead of the meeting with Cleveland tonight (between Wednesday and Thursday).
"We could have played better as a team, especially in defense - me too. We have to learn from this and improve in the next game. We are smart enough to know that we weren't there. We saw the segments again and we didn't even have to talk - everyone understood what happened."
So what needs to change so the Wizards can compete, and not look like a team with a 40:9 record?
According to the Israeli, "When we get to the paint, good things happen. We have to be aggressive and share the ball, sometimes when we penetrate we don't move the ball. We are very athletic, young, and when we penetrate the paint and pass to each other, it's hard to deal with us."
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From there, in his fourth season, Avdia became the club's oldest player (no one else had played in Washington for more than three seasons).
Therefore, the Israeli serves as a kind of leader this season, one who praises the young players by his side.
About Corey Kispert, who is recording 11.6 points on 48 percent from the field, he said: "It's great. I see it every day here in the hall. He's a good player, he has instincts, he's smart. For him it's mostly a mental thing, he has to keep throwing and being Stable, and this season he is not afraid, he also goes to the ring and it is good to see. He is more stable in his shooting and feels much more comfortable. This is normal for a player in his third year."
Avdia also praised Eugene O'Moroy, who was not selected at all in the draft and rarely plays, but shined with 16 points in the defeat to the Suns: "I love it. Since the beginning of the year, he has taken advantage of every opportunity he got. It should not be taken for granted - this is a player who did not play A lot, and then he comes in and puts up good numbers and affects the game. We all pay attention and we all believe. He needs to keep working hard and he will be good."
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