Summer play has concluded, and Hawks fans could not be more relieved. Even though it was an exciting few weeks filled with standout performances, one possibility lingered that made fans anxious.
There is always the risk of a key player getting injured. No matter the level of competition, injury-prone players are given that label for a reason. Atlanta has no shortage of them on their roster. The Hawks could not afford for one of their best players to go down before the 2025-26 regular season even began.
By the way of a miracle, Atlanta was able to steer clear of any injuries, while other franchises were unable to say the same. It was an action-packed few weeks for Hawks fans as they watched three of their key rotation players suit up for their countries.
Zaccharie Risacher, Vit Krejci, and Kristaps Porzingis all got some valuable reps for their national teams this summer. Hawks fans knew what they were getting from Risacher and Krejci, but Porzingis, Atlanta's marquee offseason acquisition, was the main focus.
The health of Porzingis and Krejci will be crucial to Atlanta's success
The Hawks acquired Kristaps Porzingis in a three-team trade this summer with the Boston Celtics and Utah Jazz. The organization acknowledged that his health would be a major uncertainty going forward. His team-friendly, one-year deal made this trade much easier to go through with.
Last season with the Boston Celtics, Porzingis averaged 19.5 points, 6.8 rebounds, 2.1 assists, and 1.5 blocks on a career-best 41.2% from three. He only played 42 games. In this year's EuroBasket, however, he averaged 20.2 points, 8.7 rebounds, 1.8 assists, and 1.7 blocks. Porzingis did not sit a single game for Latvia.
On the other side of the EuroBasket bracket, Atlanta's Vit Krejci was suiting up for Czechia. Hawks fans were interested to see how Krejci looked as a top option. His play was not ideal, but the most important thing is that he remained healthy while performing outside of his usual role.
Vit Krejci has seen steady improvement in his three point shooting throughout his three seasons with the Hawks.
— Zach Langley (@langleyatl) April 12, 2025
2022-23: 23.8% on 0.7 3PA
2023-24: 41.2% on 3.1 3PA
2024-25: 43.1% on 3.6 3PA
This was his first season as a major rotational piece for Atlanta. He’s quickly… pic.twitter.com/biGpiMQIzr
Last season with the Atlanta Hawks, Krejci averaged 7.2 points, 2.7 rebounds, and 2.6 assists on a remarkable 43.7% from three. He only played 57 games due to an injury he suffered against the Orlando Magic, leaving him out of the rotation for an extended period of time.
Both Porzingis and Krejci have spent the majority of their careers with the injury-prone label. Durability is the strongest asset to a contender, and the Hawks will need to be cautious with how they approach their allocation of minutes.