The Portland Trail Blazers have consistently ranked near the bottom of the league in three-point efficiency throughout their rebuild. General manager Joe Cronin attempted to address this long-overdue problem at the trade deadline, acquiring sharpshooter Vit Krejci from the Atlanta Hawks.
That was a strategic move on the margins, especially given how relatively cheap he was to acquire. Krejci fits Portland's rebuilding timeline at 25 years old and is on an incredibly team-friendly deal that includes a $3 million team option in 2027-28. That said, the addition hasn't quite gone as planned.
Krejci has earned the nickname of "Heat Czech" as someone who's hovered around a 40% three-point shooter throughout his career. In 14 games with Portland, that has drastically dipped to 30.6%.
Could Portland's poor shooting be contagious?
It's too limited a sample size, and he'll likely regress to the mean as he becomes increasingly comfortable in his new environment. But the Blazers need Krejci to figure things out quickly, as he's quickly emerged as a key role player.
Vit Krejci could become the X-Factor for Blazers' playoff push
This team still has a legitimate shot at the postseason. In all likelihood, they will finish as the ninth- or tenth-seed, meaning they'd have to win two play-in games to end a four-year playoff drought. That's already an uphill battle in itself, particularly as they continue to be plagued by the injury bug with Deni Avdij and Shaedon Sharpe still sidelined.
That makes Krejci's offensive impact even more essential, as these past few games have shown that Portland desperately needs other players to step up and fill the void.
Despite Krejci's slow start in Portland, this trade is still more than worthwhile. He's provided value with his three-point threat alone, giving the Blazers much-needed floor spacing. His court vision and unselfish play have also been an underrated addition to this roster.
Krejci's the type of player who can seamlessly fit into any team's system because of his positional size and offensive skillset. He's already won the majority of Blazers fans over in just 14 games. And better yet, he's yet to become the full version of the player Portland traded for.
Given how much they need help in the shooting department, Krejci could prove to be the X-Factor down the stretch if he's able to find his rhythm. That alone would turn this underrated trade from a win to a steal for the Blazers.