The Portland Trail Blazers are riding a three-game winning streak, but a looming financial issue could threaten their ability to keep breakout star Deni Avdija long-term. This concern emerges as the team builds momentum, having won four of their last five games, including a 118-106 victory over the New Orleans Pelicans on April 3, 2026.
Avdija, 25, earned his first All-Star nod this past season and finished third in the NBA's Most Improved Player voting. He posted averages of 24.2 points, 6.9 rebounds, and 6.7 assists, establishing himself as a cornerstone for Portland's future. His development was central to the Blazers snapping a three-year playoff drought.
The issue stems from the team's salary cap management heading into the 2028 offseason. Analyst Sam Quinn recently highlighted a potential problem with Portland's financial flexibility. On a podcast, Quinn stated the Blazers are "not setting themselves up to preserve the cap space they’re gonna need to renegotiate and extend Deni Avdija."
Avdija is scheduled to make $11.875 million in the 2027-28 season. Under current NBA rules, the most he could receive in a veteran extension that summer is a first-year salary of $16.625 million. That figure is comparable to the league's mid-level exception, which is far below the max contract value a player of his caliber might command on the open market. This creates a significant risk that Portland could lose him in free agency without being able to offer a competitive deal.
This offseason, Portland made a major move by acquiring star guard Ja Morant from the Memphis Grizzlies. Morant is expected to learn from veteran Damian Lillard and form a dynamic backcourt partnership with Avdija. The potential of this trio has generated excitement, but the financial cloud over Avdija's future introduces uncertainty.
The team's recent on-court form has been excellent. Their current 4-1 run (WWWLW) features impressive wins, like a 130-99 blowout of the Milwaukee Bucks on March 26 and a 127-119 road victory against the Indiana Pacers on March 18. However, the front office's cap strategy will be just as important as on-court execution in the coming years.
The immediate focus is on continuing their strong play to close the season. Yet, front office planning for the 2028 offseason has effectively begun now. Managing contracts and future commitments to create the necessary cap space will be a complex, multi-year project.
Losing Avdija would be a massive setback. He is the engine of their offense and a leader on the floor. Ensuring they can pay him what he's worth is perhaps the franchise's most important task. The Blazers must find a way to build a contender around Morant and Avdija without financially boxing themselves out of keeping their homegrown star. Fans can follow the roster's composition on the official roster page.
For now, the team will look to maintain its winning ways. But the front office has a difficult puzzle to solve to secure the long-term core that has brought them back to relevance.
