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Deni Avdija (back) held out of FIBA qualifiers

Deni Avdija

POR Forward #8

Player Stats

Deni Avdija (back) did not receive clearance from the Trail Blazers to play for Israel in the country’s recent FIBA World Cup qualifiers.

Israel had already been eliminated from contention for a FIBA World Cup spot, but there was still hope that Avdija would play in the nation’s most recent qualifiers. However, according to him, the Trail Blazers did not clear him to play because of the back injury he initially suffered in mid-January. Avdija said via social media that, while he wanted to play, the Trail Blazers weren’t willing to take that risk. With Damian Lillard and Ja Morant entering the rotation, Avdija’s usage is likely to take a hit in 2026-27. Hopefully, Portland’s decision to keep him out of FIBA qualifier competition was more precautionary than anything else.

- Raphielle Johnson

Injury

Source: EuroHoops

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Deni Avdija

POR Forward #8

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Deni Avdija amassed 23 points (9-of-13 FGs, 2-of-4 FTs), two rebounds, two assists and three three-pointers in Wednesday’s exhibition against the Warriors.

With Damian Lillard and Ja Morant in the fold, questions arose this offseason about how that would affect Avdija’s usage. Coming off the best season of his NBA career, the Trail Blazers forward looked good in the team’s preseason opener. A 31.8 percent shooter from three last season, Avdija made three of his six attempts from beyond the arc and shot 6-of-7 from two. His usage of 30.2 was the highest among the Blazers starters, and he led the team in shot attempts. His assist output may take a hit this season because of the number of quality guards on Portland’s roster, but Avdija won’t lack scoring opportunities.
Deni Avdija

POR Forward #8

Deni Avdija (back) said that he is “99.9 percent” healthy going into training camp.

Avdija’s back has been an issue at times over the past two seasons, even causing him to miss Israel’s FIBA World Cup qualifiers this summer. The good news is that he’s on track to be fully available when the regular season begins. Avdija did not say whether there would be any restrictions when the Trail Blazers open training camp on Tuesday, but fantasy managers should feel comfortable selecting him in drafts. The concern is the number of playmakers on the roster, with Damian Lillard (Achilles) healthy and Ja Morant now in the fold after being acquired from the Grizzlies. With those two available, Avdija’s fantasy ceiling likely drops.
Deni Avdija

POR Forward #8

Deni Avdija led the Trail Blazers with 22 points (7-of-15 FGs, 7-of-11 FTs), three rebounds, three assists, one block and one three-pointer in a 114-95 loss to the Spurs in Game 5 on Tuesday.

Avdija enjoyed a breakout season, which led to his first All-Star appearance. He also guided the Blazers back to the playoffs for the first time since 2021, though that season has now come to a close. He was red-hot entering the playoffs, but the top-tier Spurs defense made things difficult for him, which limited his production. Avdija was selected in the fifth round in Yahoo! leagues, but it will likely take an earlier selection to nab him in fantasy drafts next season.
Deni Avdija

POR Forward #8

Deni Avdija accounted for 26 points (8-of-14 FGs, 8-of-9 FTs), seven rebounds, three assists, one steal and two three-pointers in Sunday’s Game 4 loss to the Spurs.

Avdija had a good afternoon scoring-wise, but turnovers were once again an issue for him and the Trail Blazers. He was responsible for five turnovers, and the Trail Blazers recorded 18 as a team. Portland was one of the worst teams in the NBA during the regular season in terms of turnover percentage, and the margin for error gets slimmer in the postseason. If Avdija and the Trail Blazers are to force a Game 6, they need to clean up the mistakes.
Deni Avdija

POR Forward #8

Deni Avdija tallied 30 points (12-of-21 FGs, 4-of-6 FTs), 10 rebounds, five assists, one steal, one block and two three-pointers in Sunday’s loss to the Spurs.

Avdija got off to a fast start in Sunday’s outing. He logged 11 first-quarter points and added eight more to total 19 points at halftime. Yet, he was much less dominant the remainder of the game, taking just two shots in the third frame before logging six points in the fourth. Still, Avdija was the only Trail Blazer with more than 20 points on the evening. He’ll likely need some of his teammates to contribute more on the offensive end if Portland wants to avoid dropping Game 2.
Deni Avdija

POR Forward #8

Deni Avdija tallied 41 points (15-of-22 FGs, 8-of-13 FGs), seven rebounds, 12 assists, two blocks and three three-pointers in the win over the Suns on Tuesday.

Avdija was everything the Blazers needed down the stretch to mount a come-from-behind win. The first-time All-Star repeatedly got to the rim throughout the fourth quarter and ultimately scored the go-ahead layup with 16.1 seconds remaining. He finished with game-highs in points and assists while leading the Blazers from 11 points down midway through the final frame to mount a comeback that would secure them the seventh seed in the playoffs. Portland will face San Antonio in the opening round.
Deni Avdija

POR Forward #8

Deni Avdija had 25 points (9-of-19 FGs, 2-of-3 FTs), six rebounds, 10 assists and five three-pointers in the Trail Blazers’ 122-110 victory over the Kings on Sunday.

Avdija finished the regular season with another excellent game in the win over the Kings on Sunday. The 25-year-old power forward was just four rebounds shy of a triple-double. Avdija also had 25 points and five three-pointers. He finished the season in the top-80 in per game value and will lead Portland as they head into the Play-In tournament.
Deni Avdija

POR Forward #8

Deni Avdija had 35 points (11-of-19 FGs, 12-of-13 FTs), four rebounds, five assists, one steal, one block and one three-pointer in the Trail Blazers’ 116-97 victory over the Clippers on Friday.

Towards the end of a season where he dealt with a back injury, Avdija is finishing strong with at least 26 points in each of his last five games. His 35 points were a game-high in the victory over the Clippers on Friday. Avdija provided eighth-round per game value this season, which could’ve been even better if not for his struggles with turnovers.
Deni Avdija

POR Forward #8

Deni Avdija finished Wednesday’s loss to the Spurs with 29 points (13-of-21 FGs, 2-of-4 FTs), six rebounds, six assists and one three-pointer.

Scoring-wise, Avdija had a good night, finishing with a true shooting percentage of 63.7 percent. However, six turnovers countered the six assists, and that category has been an issue for him at times this season. Avdija has undoubtedly been one of the NBA’s most improved players, but with increased usage has come a sharp increase in turnovers. Heading into the final two games of the regular season, he is averaging a career-high 3.9 turnovers per game. Avdija will need to clean that up heading into the postseason.
Deni Avdija

POR Forward #8

Deni Avdija amassed 26 points (6-of-15 FGs, 13-of-14 FTs), four rebounds, seven assists, one steal, one block and one three-pointer in the loss to the Nuggets on Monday.

Avdija secured a second straight 26-point outing on Monday. As usual, the free-throw line was his friend. However, he struggled from the field and gave the ball away four times. He’ll have a chance to land better production and more efficient scoring against the Spurs on Wednesday. The Trail Blazers are battling for seeding in the Western Conference Play-In Tournament. They are currently the ninth seed.

Rotoworld

Scottie Barnes

TOR Forward-Guard #4
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Scottie Barnes lit up the Knicks with 19 points (8-of-10 FGs), six rebounds, four assists, two steals and one block on Tuesday.

If there was any concern about how Barnes would fit alongside Kawhi Leonard, he was able to quiet it with his performance in this game. Though it came against the Knicks’ backups, both players produced at a high level. Barnes has been a true fantasy star for most of his career and should continue to stuff the stat sheet despite Kawhi’s arrival. Managers should draft him early in the second round with confidence.
- Noah Rubin

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Allen Graves

TOR Forward
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Allen Graves (groin) made his preseason debut for the Raptors on Tuesday and contributed five points (1-of-7 FGs), three rebounds, one steal and one three-pointer.

Graves had been dealing with a groin injury but was able to suit up for this one. His three-point volume across 15 minutes was encouraging, but he wasn’t productive in the box score. Still, he was able to suit up for his first preseason game. His role off the bench may be limited this season, but he’s an analytical darling that projects to be a fantasy star one day.
- Noah Rubin

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Kawhi Leonard

TOR Forward #2
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Kawhi Leonard made his preseason debut for the Raptors on Tuesday and finished with 21 points (6-of-12 FGs, 5-of-7 FTs), five rebounds, two steals and four three-pointers in a 148-98 win over the Knicks.

Leonard only played 17 minutes in the first game of his second stint as a Raptor, but his impact was immediate and clear. Sure, it came against the Knicks’ bench, but it was still encouraging to see the entire team play as well as they did. Leonard should be ready to play his normal role in the season opener against the Bulls on Wednesday, and he’ll still have one more chance to play this preseason, either in New York on Thursday or in Detroit on Friday.
- Noah Rubin

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Tyler Nickel

NYK Guard-Forward
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Tyler Nickel provided a boost off the bench with 11 points (3-of-11 FGs), two rebounds, two steals and one three-pointer against the Raptors on Tuesday.

Nickel didn’t see the floor much in New York’s first two preseason games, but with the starters resting, he played a significant role in this one. He didn’t shoot the ball well from deep despite being a strong shooting prospect, but he was still able to score in double figures. Nickel likely won’t see the floor much this season, and there is no reason for managers to have him rostered outside of deep dynasty leagues.
- Noah Rubin

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James Wiseman

NYK Center
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James Wiseman finished with 18 points (7-of-8 FGs) and 10 rebounds in a 148-98 loss to the Raptors on Tuesday.

The Knicks rested their starters for their final preseason outing, which gave Wiseman the opportunity to start. He made the most of his opportunity, though it didn’t do much to help the Knicks on the scoreboard. Still, Wiseman signed a training camp deal, so he’s still fighting for a full-time roster spot. Performances like this will help make his case, though even if he does make the roster, or ends up signing elsewhere, it is unlikely he plays a significant role.
- Noah Rubin

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Tristan da Silva

ORL Forward #23
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Tristan da Silva provided a boost off the bench with 18 points (7-of-14 FGs), three rebounds, five assists, one steal and four three-pointers against the Cavaliers on Tuesday.

It has been quite the preseason for da Silva, who has averaged 18 points and four triples per game thus far. He was at his best last season when Paolo Banchero and Franz Wagner were sidelined, and he will be prepared to step up if either player misses time. It’s good to see him play well, but he likely won’t get this much of an opportunity when the team is healthy. Anthony Black, who hasn’t played during the preseason, will likely be the team’s sixth man when he is healthy, but da Silva should still play a significant role.
- Noah Rubin

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Franz Wagner

ORL Forward #22
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Franz Wagner lit up the Cavaliers with 20 points (7-of-10 FGs), four rebounds, eight assists, two steals and one three-pointer on Tuesday.

Wagner played limited minutes in Orlando’s first two preseason games, but he was unleashed in this one. Through three preseason games, he now has 18 assists, and even with Jalen Suggs (illness) in the lineup, Wagner was still the primary playmaker. Wagner’s career high for assists per game is 4.7, but that mark dropped to just 3.3 last season. If Sean Sweeney opts to utilize him as a playmaker more, and he is able to stay healthy, Wagner can be a fantasy stud.
- Noah Rubin

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Paolo Banchero

ORL Forward #5
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Paolo Banchero led the Magic with 24 points (10-of-13 FGs), eight rebounds, three assists, one steal and two three-pointers in a 132-116 win over the Cavaliers on Tuesday.

It had been a rough preseason for Banchero thus far, so it was good to see him have a productive outing. He has been a polarizing player in fantasy basketball throughout his career, mostly because of his subpar efficiency. This field goal percentage is not sustainable for him, but any improvement under new head coach Sean Sweeney would do wonders for his impact.
- Noah Rubin

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Jalen Suggs

ORL Guard #4
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Jalen Suggs (illness) made his preseason debut on Tuesday and contributed nine points (3-of-4 FGs), five rebounds, two assists, one steal and three three-pointers against the Cavaliers.

After missing Orlando’s first two preseason games, Suggs was back in the mix to take on Cleveland. He didn’t play as much as the other starters, but there was no reason for him to overdo it in his first exhibition game. Still, it was good for Suggs to log 13 minutes in this game, and he’ll have one more chance to play before the regular season begins as they wrap up the preseason against the Heat on Friday.
- Noah Rubin

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Peyton Watson

CLE Guard #8
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Peyton Watson posted a full line on Tuesday with 10 points (3-of-7 FGs), four rebounds, two assists, one steal, two blocks and one three-pointer against the Magic.

Watson showcased how he’ll be able to make an impact in fantasy hoops this season despite likely not being heavily featured on offense. He’ll certainly get his opportunities, but is fantasy impact will come through well-rounded production, mostly on the defensive end. He’s currently going outside the top 100 in drafts and should be seen as a late-round flier that can step up offensively when Cleveland is dealing with injuries.
- Noah Rubin

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