Kelly Olynyk could be on the move.
The NBA trade deadline is rapidly approaching. Only two weeks are left for teams to add or subtract to their roster before the offseason to either make a playoff push or wave the white flag. The Utah Jazz are in a position to choose one or the other. It may seem like they’re going with the latter. They were in a similar boat they are now in 2023 (24-25; tied for ninth in the West) and opted to prioritize the long view by trading away veterans like Mike Conley, Jarred Vanderbilt, and Malik Beasley. They might do the same this year with players like Kelly Olynyk and Jordan Clarkson.
Michael A. Scotto of HoopsHype has reported that Kelly Olynyk has ‘drawn interest from various teams across the league’ and that Olynyk is the most likely Jazz player to get dealt at the trade deadline. It would make sense as to why; Olynyk is one of the better shooting big men in the league with a ton of playoff experience under his belt. He would help a ton of teams around the NBA. A couple really stand out as options for Olynyk.
There may not be a team that could use Kelly Olynyk more than the Oklahoma City Thunder. As great as Chet Holmgren is, the Thunder don’t have many options at center outside of him. Jaylin Williams is a fine backup center but he has been in and out of the Thunder’s rotation this season. He is a solid passer and shooter from the center spot (career 38.2% shooter from deep and a +2.3 assist-to-turnover ratio) and a charge-taking maestro, but the Thunder could stand to improve at that position and get someone who can not only give Holmgren a breather but also play alongside him.
Kelly Olynyk is that guy. Olynyk is a career 37% shooter from deep but has shot 39.4% and 42.5% from distance over the past two seasons. He’d also fit in like a glove with this Oklahoma City roster. He doesn’t need the ball but his playmaking and ability to stretch the floor would accentuate the skills of the Thunder’s stars in Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Jalen Williams, and Chet Holmgren.
Most importantly, Olynyk has plenty of playoff experience. Everyone knows they can trust Olynyk with 20 minutes in a postseason environment. The Thunder are short on that experience. Gilgeous-Alexander, Luguentz Dort, and Davis Bertans are the only players on Oklahoma City’s roster that even have playoff experience.
That can be overblown a bit; no one should expect Williams or Holmgren to get overwhelmed in that setting. But having another veteran who can calm these young players down in certain situations is very valuable. Olynyk can do that and plays a position of need. He’d be a great addition for Oklahoma City.
How the Nuggets fare when Nikola Jokic is on the bench has been a talking point for years. Head coach Michael Malone solved that problem by deploying a Jeff Green and Aaron Gordon frontcourt in the postseason last year en route to their title. But Green is gone and Gordon is too vital to rely on him to be both their starting frontcourt mate next to Jokic and their backup center.
Olynyk can fill that void and allow the Nuggets to play a similar style with him at center while Jokic gets his rest. His shooting ability complements Gordon (or Peyton Watson if Gordon is getting a breather) and Jamal Murray very well. Not only could Olynyk play a legit role for this Nuggets team, but if Denver, the champions a year ago, were to acquire him, they’d bolster their chances of repeating by keeping away from another contender, like the aforementioned Thunder. Olynyk would be a great get for the Nuggets.
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