Arenas Calls Avdija 'Weak Link' on Podcast, Davis Disagrees

Former NBA star Gilbert Arenas controversially labeled Israeli player Denny Avdija as the "weak link" among the Portland Trail Blazers' new core players during a podcast discussion. Arenas made the remarks on his podcast, "Gil's Arena," while discussing the team's outlook for the upcoming season. He argued that Avdija's past performance, comparing it to what he believes would draw boos for players like Damian Lillard or Ja Morant, makes him the least impactful of the team's key talents.

Arenas elaborated that with the addition of players like Morant and the presence of Lillard, Avdija's contributions, which he characterized as a season of "24/7/7," would be considered subpar. He suggested that Avdija's role in the team's success would be less significant compared to the other stars.

However, former player Baron Davis strongly disagreed with Arenas' assessment. Davis asserted that Avdija is "the guy" for Portland and is essential for their success, calling him a "cheat code" that will help Lillard and Morant perform at their best. Davis emphasized that Avdija should be the player who finishes games and is a key offensive option, drawing parallels to what the Memphis Grizzlies lacked.

Despite the initial disagreement, Arenas later acknowledged Avdija's ability to draw fouls as a crucial element for the team. He noted that Avdija's high free-throw attempts could be a key factor for Morant and Lillard, suggesting that Avdija should be given the ball early in games.

This discussion occurred shortly before Avdija led the new-look Portland team to their first preseason victory against Golden State, scoring 23 points.