With the NBA trade deadline just five days away, the league’s transaction window is finally heating up. Less than 24 hours after a three-team deal sent De’Andre Hunter, Keon Ellis, and Dennis Schroder across Cleveland, Sacramento, and Chicago, another move followed. This time, it was a quieter but meaningful trade between the Atlanta Hawks and the Portland Trail Blazers.
According to ESPN’s Shams Charania, the Hawks have agreed to trade guard Vit Krejci to the Blazers in exchange for center Duop Reath and two future second-round picks.
Atlanta Hawks Receive: Duop Reath, 2027 second-round pick, 2020 New York Knicks second-round pick
Portland Trail Blazers Receive: Vit Krejci
For the Hawks, this move represents a mix of asset accumulation and roster reshuffling. Krejci was in the middle of his fifth NBA season and was enjoying the most productive stretch of his career. He appeared in 46 games this season, averaging 9.0 points, 2.1 rebounds, and 1.5 assists while shooting an efficient 46.4% from the field and an impressive 42.3% from three-point range. His 2.2 made threes per game placed him inside the top 20 league-wide, making him one of the more reliable perimeter shooters on the Hawks’ roster.
Contractually, Krejci was also a valuable piece. He is in year two of a four-year, $10.1 million deal and is earning just $2.3 million this season. That combination of production and affordability made him a popular figure in the Hawks’ locker room and a legitimate rotation contributor. However, his role had begun to shrink. With Zaccharie Risacher healthy again and Corey Kispert recently added, minutes on the wing were becoming harder to find.
The Hawks’ return is largely about flexibility. Reath, a 28-year-old center in his third NBA season, has averaged 2.9 points and 1.2 rebounds while shooting 44.6% from the field and 41.8% from deep. Unfortunately for the Hawks, he recently underwent surgery to address a stress fracture in his right foot and has been ruled out for the remainder of the season. As a result, Atlanta may ultimately waive him to open a roster spot, making the two second-round picks the real value in the deal.
In the bigger picture, this deal reflects where both franchises stand. Atlanta, currently 10th in the East at 24-27, is stockpiling draft assets and keeping flexibility ahead of the deadline. Portland, meanwhile, continues to quietly add shooting and versatility around its young core. It may not be a headline-grabbing blockbuster, but it is exactly the kind of trade that shapes rosters in the margins as deadline week unfolds.
