A new era is taking shape in Portland, and the Trail Blazers are using the run-up to training camp to sort out what this roster can really become.
With a new owner, a new coach, a high-profile trade addition and a fresh set of expectations, the Blazers are coming off a seventh-place finish in the Western Conference and their first playoff berth in five years. Media day is set for September 28, and the team is rolling out daily looks at the roster as camp gets closer.
One of the more interesting names in that mix is Vit Krejčí.
Krejčí, listed at 6-foot-8 and 195 pounds, is 26 years old and enters his sixth NBA season as a guard/forward. His 2025-26 numbers sit at 8.5 points, 2.3 rebounds and 1.5 assists. He’s also in the third year of a four-year, $10.2 million contract that will pay him $2.7 million this season, though that deal is not fully guaranteed until opening night.
Portland brought Krejčí in just before the trade deadline with a clear purpose: help fix the team’s shooting. That part didn’t go according to plan.
After making 43% of his three-point attempts over the previous two-plus seasons, he struggled badly in Portland, hitting only 24% from deep in March. A left calf bruise then knocked him out for 13 of the final 14 regular-season games, and he was a non-factor in the playoffs.
Still, the Blazers aren’t ready to write off the fit. The hope is that Krejčí simply ran into a rough stretch and can get back on track now that he’s settled in, knows his teammates better and is healthy again.
There’s belief inside the organization that his value goes beyond shooting, too. Portland likes his playmaking, defense and versatility, and there’s even a feeling he can handle both guard and small forward, with a little point guard work in a pinch.
There were at least signs of life. From Feb. 6 to March 1, Krejčí shot 35% from three and showed enough on defense to keep the door open. The Blazers still need shooting wherever they can find it, and they’re hoping that version of Krejčí is the one that shows up again.
He heads into camp with a real chance to compete for rotation minutes as a backup wing.
In Other News...
Ja Morants Grizzlies Exit Still Feels Hard To Explain
Ja Morants move out of Memphis and into Portland was already one of the more jarring transactions of the offseason, and the reaction around it has only added to the intrigue. The trade went down on June 29, sending Morant to the Trail Blazers for Jerami Grant, Kris Murray, and cash considerations, a deal that immediately felt bigger than the names involved because of what Morant has meant to the Grizzlies since entering the league.
A video of Morants first reaction to the news quickly surfaced on social media, and the surprise on his face helped explain why the departure still feels unusual. Since then, Morant has struck a more optimistic tone, talking about Portland as a fresh start and an opportunity to reset, but the emotional whiplash of the move is still part of the story as he begins a new chapter in the Northwest. [Read more 🡒]
Blazers Face A Bigger Deni Avdija Debate Than Fans Expected
Deni Avdijas arrival in Portland has already pushed him into the center of the Blazers offensive conversation, and it has done so faster than many expected. After a season that marked another step in his career progression, he is no longer just a versatile forward fitting into the mix. He is being evaluated as someone who could shape how the Trail Blazers want to play going forward, especially with the way he handles the ball and keeps the offense moving.
Avdijas case gets even more interesting because the numbers point to a player doing far more than just filling a role on the wing. His usage and playmaking impact were both at career-best levels, and they placed him among the more active forwards in the league. For Portland, that creates a bigger debate than simply whether he belongs in the rotation. It raises the question of how central he should be to the offense, and how far the Blazers want to lean into what he does best. [Read more 🡒]
Blazers Have An Early Name To Watch For A Thin Wing Spot
The Trail Blazers are already thinking ahead to a wing group that could use another reliable body, and one early name to monitor is Tajh Ariza. Portland holds a first-round pick in the 2027 NBA Draft, and the freshman wing at Oregon has apparently landed on the radar as a possible long-term fit for the kind of role teams always covet on the perimeter.
Ariza brings the sort of defensive profile and three-point touch that can make a prospect stand out even before the rest of the offensive game catches up. For a Blazers roster that may be looking for help in the backup wing rotation down the road, he fits the broad outline of a developmental target worth tracking, even if there is still plenty of time for the picture to change. [Read more 🡒]