Portland Blazers Must Recognize Deni Avdija as Team's Face

The Portland Trail Blazers officially opened their 2026-27 season with their traditional Media Day, where Israeli forward Deni Avdija, entering his seventh NBA season, was a focal point. Fan site "Rip City Project" highlighted Avdija's importance, calling him the team's first All-Star caliber player since Damian Lillard. The site criticized the team for not prioritizing Avdija more after he became a key piece, suggesting they failed to add sufficient shooting to complement his aggressive drives to the basket, which led the league last season.

According to the fan site, Avdija has unexpectedly become the face of the team's rebuilding process. They argued that the Blazers should have acted more urgently to prioritize him this offseason, citing recent comments from General Manager Joe Cronin as evidence of inaction. This lack of prioritization, they believe, will negatively impact the team's on-court performance this season, as they anticipate difficulty creating space for Avdija.

"Rip City Project" writer Reese Kunz emphasized that the Blazers need to understand Avdija is the face of the franchise and act accordingly, particularly regarding his contract extension. Avdija is eligible for an extension starting October 2nd, but his current contract structure makes the process more complex than a standard renewal.

GM Joe Cronin addressed the contract situation on Media Day, confirming that the team has dedicated significant time and thought to it. He explained that due to the contract's structure, a simple extension is unlikely, and a re-negotiation and extension will likely be necessary, requiring the use of their salary cap space. Cronin stated the team aims to time this process correctly to best meet both Avdija's and the team's needs for the extension.