Deni Avdija Shakes Off Ankle Soreness to Start Blazers Opener

The NBA season is officially back, which means we are already sweating out late-afternoon injury reports for right ankle soreness. Fortunately for Portland, Deni Avdija is skipping the drama and getting right to work.

The Trail Blazers forward confirmed he will start Wednesday night against the Phoenix Suns, according to Jason Quick. Avdija had been listed as questionable, sending a brief wave of panic through the sickos who already locked in their Opening Night fantasy lineups.

"Status alert: Deni Avdija (ankle) said he'll start Wednesday, per @jwquick."

Portland needs him out there. The front office shipped Malcolm Brogdon and a pair of first-round picks to the Washington Wizards back in 2024 to bring Avdija to the Pacific Northwest. You do not make that kind of trade to watch your new investment watch the game in premium athleisure.

Avdija has a bit of a history with nagging injuries, missing time over the last few seasons for everything from a bruised heel to a sore thumb. Ankle issues are always tricky, but playing through the soreness on night one sets a solid tone for a Portland team trying to find an identity.

For the betting crowd, this clears up the Portland rotation and puts Avdija props back on the board against a top-heavy Phoenix squad. If he had sat, we were staring down the barrel of heavy Sidy Cissoko minutes, which is the kind of basketball sicko territory usually reserved for late March.

Now the focus shifts to how the ankle actually holds up in live action. If Avdija looks a step slow chasing guys around the perimeter, Portland might have to pull the plug early and rethink their weekend rotation.