After acquiring Corey Kispert in the Trae Young trade, the Atlanta Hawks have officially demoted Vit Krejci to the third-string small forward spot.
In the seven games since the Young trade, Krejci has struggled mightily, averaging 4.9 points and 2.4 fouls on 18.2% from three in 20 minutes a night. The Czech forward has redefined his game to be a true three point specialist this season, shooting 78.5% of his shots from behind the arc.
His role change has led to some incredible moments, such as his unbelievable 28-point explosion to steal a victory over the Clippers early in the season. But the downside of such a specialized shot diet is that Krejci brings little consistency to the lineup, illustrated by his most recent stretch.
After five disappointing games with Kispert on the roster, Quin Snyder demoted Krejci for the newly acquired swingman.
Kispert has two major advantages over Krejci, and both derive from his significant strength advantage. Despite standing 2 inches shorter than Pistol Vit, Kispert is 30 pounds heavier at 225. He uses his sturdy frame well when finishing at the rim, attempting over 2.8 times as many shots at the rim per 100 as Krejci and being 2.1% more efficient on these looks.
He also has the mass to stonewall small forwards on the perimeter. Both players have the foot speed to guard the average small forward, but Krejci can be bullied by more physical players. Kispert is short for the position, but uses his strength and low center of mass to be a threat both on the perimeter and in help-side action in the paint. Neither player is necessarily a good defender, but Kispert is more versatile and could conceivably help alleviate Atlanta’s weak interior presence.
Notably, Zaccharie Risacher has not played since Young was traded. This opened the starting small forward spot for Krejci and Kispert, but both players should expect to see a serious reduction in role upon the former first overall pick’s return.
Could Krejci be out of the rotation upon Risacher’s return?
Before the Young trade, all signs pointed to Krejci being Atlanta’s prime option in the microwave wing role. Luke Kennard was heavily criticized for being too hesitant from deep, while Krejci had the ultimate green light (and converted on these ridiculous looks).
Since the players-only meeting the Hawks conducted in late December, however, Kennard has been on a tear. He’s finally started to shoot the ball as often as you would want a sharpshooter of his caliber to, drilling off-balance and contested threes at will. On Wednesday night, he went off for 18 points on 4/5 from three, while Krejci played a mere 11 minutes.
The position battle expanded when Atlanta acquired Kispert. The Hawks now have three players who all specialize as three point shooters with weak defensive reputations.
Krejci is the best playmaker of the bunch, with the mobility and burst to get downhill and make a play. As mentioned earlier, however, he can’t convert on these looks. Kennard is the hottest shooter, although he is clearly the worst defender of the three. Kispert is the balanced option as the physically strongest but worst shooter of the group (worst is harsh wording; Kispert is still shooting 37.3% on the season).
It should be no surprise Snyder is choosing the more versatile option, yet Kispert’s promotion still came as a shock. GM Onsi Saleh will have to move on from one of these three players when he rebuilds the roster next offseason. Could Krejci be the one, even after such a hot start to the season? Or could he be building Kispert’s trade value to flip him to a contender?