Trail Blazers guard/forward Vit Krejci is headed for a long stint on the sideline after undergoing surgery Wednesday to repair a fracture in his left ankle, with the team saying he’ll be reevaluated in eight weeks.
That timeline gives Portland a clearer picture of the road ahead. Krejci was hurt a week ago against the Suns and had already been expected to miss considerable time, but Wednesday’s update puts a firmer window on his recovery. If everything goes smoothly, the earliest return would come shortly after the New Year begins.
The injury happened in the third quarter when Krejci sprinted back on defense and tried to step in for a charge against Suns forward Miles Bridges. He took an awkward step before contact, then went down grabbing his lower leg in clear pain.
Portland’s injury list keeps growing. Shaedon Sharpe had knee surgery in August and was ruled out for at least six months, while Ja Morant suffered a Grade 2 hamstring strain two weeks ago and is expected to miss at least four weeks.
Krejci had carved out a role for the Blazers after arriving in a trade-deadline deal last season, averaging 7.2 points, 2.7 rebounds and 1.7 assists in 19.2 minutes per game over 19 appearances off the bench. This season, though, he had gotten off to a slow start, putting up 2.7 points, 1.6 rebounds and 1.1 assists in his first seven games while shooting 30.0% from the field.
His $2,667,944 salary became guaranteed on opening night, and Portland also has an option on his non-guaranteed $3MM contract for 2027/28. The front office will need to make that call next June before free agency opens.
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Blazers Lose Another Depth Piece As Injury Concerns Keep Growing
Another depth piece is suddenly off the board for Portland, with forward Vit Krejci undergoing surgery on a fracture in his left ankle after getting hurt in a game against the Suns. The recovery process begins immediately, and the Blazers now have another rotation question to manage as they try to keep their season moving without one more capable body on the wing.
Krejcis absence matters because Portland has already been leaning on depth to survive the grind, and his contract situation only adds another layer to the decision-making around the roster. Hell be re-evaluated in eight weeks, leaving the Blazers to navigate the coming stretch without knowing exactly when they can count on him again. [Read more 🡒]
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For a franchise still sorting out its long-term backcourt, the timing matters. Henderson is on an expiring deal and will be a restricted free agent, which gives Portland a decision to make soon about whether to keep investing in his development or explore a different path. If the Blazers continue to view him as a player without a settled role, a trade to a rebuilding team could make more sense for both sides, even if it would mark a significant pivot from the plan that once seemed set in Portland. [Read more 🡒]
Thunder Need Shai And A Short-Handed Frontcourt To Answer Back
The Thunder head into the second night of a back-to-back against the Trail Blazers already carrying the weight of a rough loss in Portland, and the matchup comes with some real roster strain in the frontcourt. With limited healthy centers available, Oklahoma City is trying to piece together a plan that can hold up on the glass and inside while also getting cleaner offense than it managed the night before.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander remains the obvious engine for a reset, especially if the Thunder are going to avoid another game where the scoring dries up and Portland controls the tempo. The defensive adjustments matter too, because the first meeting exposed enough issues to make this rematch feel less like a routine regular-season stop and more like a test of how well Oklahoma City can respond when the margins get thin. [Read more 🡒]