Trail Blazers' Joe Cronin Receives Praise for Vit Krejci Trade

The Portland Trail Blazers are being lauded for landing Vit Krejci in a trade with the Atlanta Hawks that also involved Duop Reath, a 2027 second- and a 2030 second-round pick. Reath had recently suffered a season-ending right foot injury. A stress fracture was revealed, and he underwent successful surgery, but Reath likely wasn't coming back to the team next season anyway.

Hence, why The Oregonian's Joe Freeman positively viewed the deal in Joe Cronin's favor, saying, "The move came four days before Thursday’s NBA trade deadline and brought much-needed long-range shooting and experience to the Blazers’ chase for a spot in the play-in tournament."

Of course, adding another guy who will actually be used in his roster spot sets back the idea that Caleb Love and/or Sidy Cissoko could be converted to a full-time contract from their current two-way deals.

Unless, of course, another deal is coming.

Blazers Can Benefit in Two- or Three-for-One Trade at Deadline

Portland's roster crunch is needless. There are deals out there that could get the Blazers their much-needed space to retain at least Love. A two-for-one or three-for-one trade could get them the Love/Cissoko spots.

Looking at the team's cap sheet, a Robert Williams III-plus-Mattise Thybulle package could be intriguing to teams looking to clear long-term money. That can net the team a difference-maker that won't break the bank as the salary cap continues to rise. Throw in the recently returned Blake Wesley, and you have room for Love and Cissoko now.

Of course, there are bigger swings to make if you include Jerami Grant and/or Jrue Holiday in any move. That upgrades it from a moderate swing to a massive one. Portland hasn't been connected to any superstars, though, so that is unlikely.

Jrue Holiday Trade on the Table to Facilitate Giannis Blockbuster

Per The Stein Line's Marc Stein, "The presumption that acquiring Holiday — if there's a way — would make the Knicks an even more attractive destination to Holiday's former Bucks teammate Antetokounmpo."

Jrue Holiday being involved in deadline dealings to make a long-awaited Giannis Antetokounmpo trade happen could be the move that does it. It'd be far more consequential than dealing away Williams, Thybulle, and other reserves, but any team trying to land Holiday and Antetokounmpo would likely be aggressive.

In the end, it could end up being the best thing for the Blazers to send Holiday elsewhere. We'll see in a few days.