Trail Blazers fans have been begging for the front office to add more shooting to this roster for quite some time. They finally addressed that problem at the trade deadline, acquiring sharpshooter Vit Krejci from the Atlanta Hawks.
Early on in their rebuild, Portland wasn't necessarily in a rush to fix this glaring roster problem, as it improved their draft position. Things were different this time around as there was an increased sense of urgency for the Blazers to finally add shooting.
Many viewed the Blazers as potential buyers at the deadline, and shooting was always the most likely area they'd target. For one, incoming owner Tom Dundon is set to take over in 2026, and the Blazers front office would be making a more compelling case to stay if their young roster were able to end a four-year playoff drought. But even if Dundon wasn't a factor, adding shooting at this deadline makes much more sense compared to years past.
Vit Krejci is a savvy margin move that could get the Blazers to the postseason
Although this season hasn't quite gone as planned due to multiple lingering injuries, the Blazers have playoff aspirations. They've overcome that early-season adversity and sit ninth in a strong Western Conference with a 27-29 record. With a roster that only continues to get healthier, Portland is the only team around them in the standings trending in the right direction. Golden State lost Jimmy Butler for the season due to a torn ACL, while the Clippers embraced a retool at the deadline, moving on from James Harden and Ivica Zubac.
Adding a role player like Krejci may not have been the fireworks some were expecting from the Blazers, but it's a strategic move on the margins that could ultimately be the difference between Portland making the postseason.
The margin for error in the West is so thin, and this is an entirely different offense with Krejci's reliable floor spacing. He's made just 32.4% of his three-point attempts during a limited six-game stretch, but that threat alone is invaluable for a Blazers roster that doesn't have a single player capable of that gravity (that is, until Damian Lillard returns next season).
Portland entered the All-Star break on a strong note, finishing 4-2 since acquiring Krejci. Their offense is averaging 126.8 points per game during that stretch, a 12-point increase from their season average. Other factors have contributed to that, but it's no surprise that they've improved on the offensive end after quietly acquiring one of the best shooters in the league.
While Krejci wasn't specifically a name Blazers fans were begging for, we are seeing firsthand why fans have wanted to add shooting to this roster for so long. And it's coming at a perfect time by design, with Portland's young core finally ready to make a playoff push in a Western Conference that's suddenly wide open for a team to sneak in.