Deni Avdija is a game-time decision in season opener

He had a very prototypical Deni Avdija game. He got you a lot of points, good rebounds, good assists, and a lot of free throw attempts. You would wish he shot better than 75%, but its hard to be too critical after a performance like this. The additions of Ja Morant and Damian Lilliard have not impacted his production that much up to this point which is a relief for owners of Deni in fantasy.

Due to an ankle injury, Avdija was a game-time decision on Wednesday. Cleared to play an hour before tip-off, he started and logged 23 minutes. With the Trail Blazers winning by over 40 points, Avdija didn’t have to extend himself in the season opener. He led the team with 16 shot attempts, a positive development given Damian Lillard and Ja Morant were also in the Blazers’ starting lineup.

Deni will give it a go and start in the Blazers first game of the season. He’s looking to build upon his All-Star season last year and lead the Blazers back to the playoffs.

Avdija looked good during the preseason, but there is a chance he is sidelined for Portland’s regular season opener. Portland’s thin on the wing, with Vít Krejčí next in line on the depth chart. It’s possible the Trail Blazers use three guards in the starting unit instead of starting Krejčí, which would likely mean Damian Lillard, Ja Morant and Jrue Holiday all start.

As of Friday, Avdija had a Yahoo ADP of 40, suggesting fantasy managers aren’t too concerned about the potential impact of sharing the court with Damian Lillard and Ja Morant on the All-Star forward. Against the Warriors, Avdija led the Blazers starters with 15 attempts, and usage shouldn’t be an issue for him once the regular season begins. He didn’t shoot well Friday, but fantasy managers shouldn’t worry about that. He boasts top-50 fantasy potential, especially in turnover-punt builds.

If there were concerns about Avdija’s usage with all the changes to Portland’s backcourt, he has addressed those during the preseason. Clearly, he’s still the focal point of the offense. He has averaged 24.5 points in 23 minutes per game through two preseason appearances. It’s a tiny sample size, but Avdija is still going to be a fantasy stud this season and have the ball in his hands a ton.

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.

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.

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.

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.