Versatile contributor could be Hawks player to watch at trade deadline

December 15 is the unofficial start of trade season in the NBA, and the Atlanta Hawks could find themselves playing no more than a bit role after an offseason overhaul.

The Hawks are limited in what draft capital they can trade, and many of their most appealing players are also key parts of a rotation that is finding its way. There is an argument for less being more when it comes to how deep coaches should go into their benches.

That could be the case for the Hawks, who have 14 players averaging double-digit minutes.

One of those players, young veteran point forward Vit Krejci, could be attractive to teams looking for versatile reserves and he happens to become trade-eligible on December 15.

Krejci is avering 3.0 points, 1.7 rebounds, and 1.5 assists this season. He is shooting 36.4% from the floor, 25.0% from beyond the arc, and 55.6% at the free throw line, all of which are down not only from his breakout campaign in 2023-24 but from his career numbers as well. 

He has also made just 11 appearances.

The Hawks acquired Krejci in a salary-dump trade with the Oklahoma City Thunder in 2023, parting with veteran forward Maurice Harkless.

Atlanta waived Krejci, and he signed with the Minnesota Timberwolves. But the Hawks re-signed Krejci just four months after letting him go after the Timberwolves parted ways with the 6-foot-8 guard.

He signed a four-year, $10 million deal with the team in July.

Krejci is only 24 years old, so he fits with the Hawks’ current youth movement. And with some of his more veteran teammates being potential trade candidates, it makes sense to keep him.

However, the Hawks are also not in a position to turn away offers for players simply because they like them. That is becoming the case less with each victory, so the front office’s patience to this point also makes sense.

The question will be whether Saturday’s loss to the Denver Nuggets was an aberration or not.

If it proves to be something more telling, then the Hawks will need to revisit their stance on the roster lest they risk current and future potential trade candidates hurting their value.

Krejci is a versatile player, capable of handling the ball behind Trae Young, catching and shooting, and competing on the defensive end. Those qualities should endear him to other teams and the Hawks alike, making him one of the more intriguing players on the roster despite his smaller role.