Deni Avdija Remains Out with Back Injury; Contract Ranked Top-Tier Value

Deni Avdija (back) has been ruled out for Wednesday's game in Memphis, marking his fifth consecutive absence. While coach Tiago Splitter indicated he's getting close to a return, potentially for Friday's game in Houston, Sidy Cissoko and Vit Krejci will continue to cover his minutes, with Jerami Grant seeing increased usage. Separately, Avdija's contract has been recognized among the top 15 most valuable in the NBA, underscoring his significant long-term value to the Portland Trail Blazers.