Deni Avdija is reportedly on the Cleveland Cavaliers’ NBA Draft radar, but the rebuilding franchise should avoid selecting him.
For the second straight year, the Cleveland Cavaliers finished with a bottom-three record only to be rewarded with the No. 5 pick in the NBA Draft. The NBA’s new lottery system has helped deter teams from tanking – but has also hurt franchises that are just genuinely bad, such as the Cavaliers.
Nonetheless, the No. 5 spot in this year’s draft isn’t too bad. This upcoming class doesn’t appear to be loaded with superstar talent, making it impossible to predict where each prospect will land. As a result, the Cavaliers will have a wide array of solid choices when it’s their turn to pick.
One name, in particular, has reportedly been on the Cavs’ radar. According to Shlomo Sprung of Forbes, Deni Avdija is gaining traction among teams in the 2-11 range due to his upside as a playmaker and shot creator.
Avdija is a 6’9″ forward with an all-around game that is needed in today’s NBA. He has an adequate handle for his size and a knack for finding open teammates. His high-IQ and selflessness make him a well-rounded prospect who can fill in as a secondary playmaker at the wing.
This all sounds great to the Cavaliers who are sorely missing playmakers. Both Collin Sexton and Darius Garland have made notable efforts to improve in this area but are still far behind what is expected from a modern-day backcourt. On paper, adding Avdija to the mix would help encourage ball-movement and fluidity within the Cavs offense.
However, it feels more likely Avdija would wind up starving for touches as the ball dominance of Sexton, Garland and Kevin Porter Jr. swallow all of the team’s possessions. Both Sexton and Garland ranked in the top 50 for total touches this season at the guard position despite not even being invited to the NBA’s restart in Orlando. Factor in that the Cavs planned on giving Porter an increased playmaking role before the season ended and it’s tough to see where Avdija fits in as another ball-dominant prospect.
Avdija would fall into the same role as Cedi Osman, who was perhaps the most forgotten starter in the league. Osman had by far the lowest usage rate of anyone in the Cavs starting five and was routinely ignored by teammates throughout the course of the season. I can’t count how many times Osman was left open on the perimeter without receiving a pass last year.
Thankfully, Osman made the most of his looks. He shot near 40 percent from the 3-point line and began to find a rhythm as a catch-and-shoot threat who could sometimes handle the ball in transition.
But, placing Avdija in this role is a recipe for disaster. He hasn’t shown any indication of being a reliable off-ball threat in the NBA. Avdija shot just 27.7 percent on 3-pointers last season. An even more troubling indicator is his woeful free throw percentage which sat at 58.8 percent. It’s unclear how Avdija would have a positive impact on the Cleveland Cavaliers offense if he isn’t able to knock down catch-and-shoot opportunities or handle the ball enough to create plays for others.
Avdija averaged 12.9 points and 2.7 rebounds in the Israeli Basketball Premier League but looked more worrisome against stronger competition in the Euro League – where he posted just 4.0 points on 43.6 percent shooting. It’s obvious that Avdija is going to be a work in progress. The 19-year-old has talent but will need to be in the right environment to reach his full potential.
I don’t think Cleveland can offer enough freedom for him to grow while sharing the court with Garland, Sexton and Porter. We haven’t even mentioned the minutes he would split with Osman or how his lack of elite athleticism could further hurt the Cavaliers defense, which is already struggling.
Avdija has the qualities of a good team defender. If under the right system, Avidja’s size and IQ will help him have a positive impact. However, how much does that help a team that doesn’t play good team defense in the first place? Avdija doesn’t appear to be strong enough to spark change on his own – meaning his effect on the Cavs league-worst defense will be minimal.
For this reason, the Cavaliers should be looking at players like Isaac Okoro, Onyeka Okongwu or Devin Vassell. These three prospects are all better defenders and can help bolster Cleveland on the defensive end of the floor.
I would even consider Obi Toppin before drafting Avdija. The stretch-big out of Dayton will instantly be a threat from deep and though he isn’t a factor on defense, the Cavaliers can at least count on him to knock down 3-pointers. The same can’t be said for Avdija, who will need to work hard to prove he can score consistently at the NBA level.
Overall, Avdija has too many shortcomings to overcome with Cleveland. Perhaps he would be more suited for a team like the Golden State Warriors or San Antonio Spurs, teams who have better proven they can foster young talent. For the Cleveland Cavaliers, this franchise should be betting on a prospect who can be a difference-maker from day one.