The Atlanta Hawks haven't made a ton of moves during the 2024 NBA free agency period. They did trade their All-Star guard Dejounte Murray to the New Orleans Pelicans but haven't done much else. Atlanta got a solid haul in return, as they got back Larry Nance Jr., Dyson Daniels, and two future first-round picks. But in terms of signing players, Atlanta hasn't walked that path frequently. The best and only move the Hawks have made during free agency regarding signing a player was re-signing wing Vit Krejci.
Vit Krejci is a jack of all trades
After injuries struck wings Jalen Johnson and Saddiq Bey down the stretch of last season, the Hawks slid Krejci into their starting three spot. It wasn't exactly a move many expected. Krejci started eight games with the Oklahoma City Thunder while they were still in their tanking stage but didn't really show a whole lot in that time.
It was hard to gauge his skillset since a lot of those games were without Oklahoma City's primary contributors. After the Thunder added more draft picks to their team in the summer of 2022, Krejci slipped through the cracks and left the team. The Hawks eventually picked him up, but he appeared in just 29 games of mostly mop-up duty.
That changed last season, however. After injuries took their toll on the Hawks, Krejci got the chance to start and he made the most of it. He posted shooting splits of .490/.412/639/.833 offensively and showcased athleticism and versatility defensively.
Krejci looked very comfortable playing off of guards like Murray, Trae Young, and Bogdan Bogdanovic, the latter two of which are still with the Hawks. He showed he can hit open shots and make plays in the advantageous situations those guys set up for him.
He also can defend a multitude of positions defensively. He's a bit light at 195 pounds, but he also stands at 6-foot-8. That allows him to hold his own against some of the better wings in the league on the ball and lets him generate turnovers off of it.
Reliable wing depth
With Krejci back along with the other moves Atlanta has made this offseason, the Hawks suddenly have a lot of length on the wing. Zaccharie Risacher, the first overall pick of the 2024 NBA Draft, and Jalen Johnson should help fortify Atlanta's defense on the wing in the starting lineup. Dyson Daniels is another stout defender the Hawks have brought in as is the returning De'Andre Hunter.
All of a sudden, a team that ranked 27th in defensive efficiency last season looks like it can hold its own on that end. And that's before getting to Krejci, who gave the Hawks a big boost down the stretch. Now, before anyone gets too ahead of themselves, that doesn't mean Atlanta will become a top ten defense next year. They still have to compensate for Young and Bogdanovic on that end.
But, they at least have a path to getting there thanks to the wings they have collected this summer. And that includes Krejci. Not only did they find a potential gem in Krejci, but they signed him to a very sweet deal. He agreed to a four-year extension worth $10 million. That's less than what some veterans are making on the minimum.
Krejci is a player that not many fans have heard of. But that doesn't mean that he can't play. The Hawks were right to not only give him a chance but to move quickly in re-signing him during the 2024 NBA free agency period. He's a good player who can help any team in a pinch. Inking him to that cheap of an extension was great business by Atlanta's front office.
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