Israel’s Only NBA Player Signs $55 Million Extension

After the loss of Bradley Beal and Kristaps Porziņģis, it looks like the Washington Wizards are looking to strengthen their roster. And they are doing so by re-signing the talent they already have. Deni Avdija, the skilled forward, has just landed his rookie scale contract extension ahead of the Monday afternoon deadline for members of the 2020 NBA draft class. 

The 22-year-old Israeli-Siberian has agreed on a fully guaranteed four-year, $55 million contract extension with no incentives in the deal. With this, he is expected to take on a larger role with the Wizards this season. As the ninth overall draft of the 2020 NBA draft, Avdija has shown immense potential with his performance over the last 3 seasons. 

What this contract means to both parties

The Wizards front office had a huge overhaul this spring and many were doubtful about Avdija’s future in Washington. The signing of rookie Bilal Coulibaly, the presumed Small Forward did not help Deni’s case. But it seems like he impressed the new Monumental Basketball president Michael Winger and new Wizards general manager Will Dawkins enough to guarantee this deal. 

According to this NBA Insider, Avdija’s re-signing will cost the Wizards 8.7% of their salary cap. For comparison, the non-tax mid-level exception is 9.1%. This means that the Wizards have a lot to gain from this deal. In the best-case scenario, with a starter-caliber player like Deni, an average annual salary of $13.7 million is a great investment. And if the worst happens, leading to his decline in performance this salary cap would not hurt them either. 

For Avdija however, it seems like he is settling for a below-starter-level salary for the next five years. But with the salary cap going up, there could be chances for a bargain in a few years. 

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What the new season looks like

Avdija started 80 of the 212 games he’s played for the Wizards. He averaged 8.1 points, 5.5 rebounds, 2.1 assists, 0.7 steals, and 0.4 blocks per game. In the 2022-23 season, he averaged 9.2 points, 6.4 rebounds, 2.8 assists and 0.9 steals in 76 games. And he shows that he improves immensely with each game. This puts him in a position to contribute more to the team. 

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Avdija has shown himself to be a team-first player who has great chemistry with everyone. With a long-term deal secured, he can settle in comfortably with a team he likes playing for and be a part of its future.