Eran Soroka of Sport5 in Israel on Deni Avdija’s development

Eran Soroka (@sorokman) of Sport5 in Israel (@sport5il) and the Osim NBA Podcast (@OsimNBA) joins the show to talk about Deni Avdija's breakout and what that means for the Wizards moving forward. Soroka has seen Avdija play from a young age so he's particularly well-suited to point out the areas that he's improved in. We discuss Avdija’s growth, whether his defense has fallen off with his increased offensive role, which lineups best maximize his skills, his pairing with Kyle Kuzma, his coverage in Israel, and just how good he can actually get. We also talk about the team-building strategy of the Wizards' front office and how Avdija fits in with their long-term plans. Plus, which player is most likely to represent the Wizards in the All-Star Game next? Presented by betonline.ag! 0:00 - Intro 0:45 - Eran’s initial reactions to Deni Avdija’s recent development 2:35 - Was Kuzma really taking away Deni’s shots? 5:06 - Will we see another performance like this from Deni again this season? 7:30 - Is Kuzma holding back Deni? 9:06 - “The problem wasn’t always just Kuzma, it was Kuzma and Poole.” - Eran Soroka 11:34 - Ad reads 12:14 - Who is the next Wizard we’ll see representing the team in the All-Star game? 15:00 - “When they have an All-Star it means that the team is in the right direction.” - Eran 17:25 - Wes vs. Keefe’s impact on Deni’s progression 18:54 - Cementing Deni’s place on the team post-trade deadline 21:30 - Keefe’s strategy for minimizing Poole’s losses 24:15 - Matt talks Deni as a focal point for an offense 27:02 - “[Deni] doesn’t have any consequences in the team’s fate.” - Eran Soroka 26:50 - “To move from the third option to the first option is a big jump in any NBA team no matter what.” - Eran Soroka 28:13 - Will the Wizards stick with Keefe? “The next coach of the Wizards will have to be somebody who puts an emphasis on developing players.” - Eran Soroka 30:29 - What is Deni’s long-term ceiling? 33:56 - “Most of the players you see aren’t as strong or as quick [as Deni].” - Eran Soroka 36:04 - Eran speaks on Deni’s offensive arsenal 38:16 - “Landing on 39 to 40 percent from three will definitely change his outlook, and the Wizard’s outlook as well.” - Eran Soroka 39:04 - “When [Deni] shoots more, the efficiency goes up.” - Eran Soroka 39:38 - Deni’s newfound confidence in taking shots 42:21 - “In the NBA, they’re not punishing teams for losing.” - Eran Soroka