Kelly Olynyk – another Celtics discard could join Raptors
By Brian Boake
Should the Raptors swoop in to grab Kelly Olynyk next summer if Boston sets him free?
The headline is a tad provocative, but the facts on the ground bear it out. Kelly Olynyk is entering a make or break season with the only team he’s ever played for, the Boston Celtics. Their General Manager, Danny Ainge, has decided not to offer Olynyk a contract extension prior to October 30. Thus he will become a Restricted Free Agent (RFA) at season’s end.
Why am I drawing your attention to this non-event? Because Olynyk may be the answer for so many of you who are clamouring to see the Toronto Raptors put in place a “stretch-4”.
Olynyk is stretchier than most, at 7’0″ and a scrawny 238 pounds. He’s one of us, born in Toronto before moving to Kamloops, B.C., in his early teens. One of his youthful teammates in Scarborough was none other than Cory Joseph. According to sources, they played at least one game against a team featuring a scrawny pre-teen whose father was playing for the Raptors. That little fellow’s name? Stephen Curry.
Kelly attended Gonzaga University, though he opted for the NBA after his junior year. He was selected #13 by the Dallas Mavericks, who promptly moved him to Boston for the rights to Lucas Nogueira(!) and a pair of second-rounders. Maybe someday when I’m old and wise I’ll understand Dallas’ reasoning – that’s all you get back for a lottery pick?
Olynyk’s professional career has spanned 3 seasons, although the last one was curtailed by shoulder surgery. His game features more than adequate 3-point shooting, making 40.5% of his 210 attempts in 2015-16. Kelly is also very capable of putting the ball on the floor and slashing to the basket, particularly when his defender is forced to cover him beyond the arc.
What you don’t get from Olynyk is rebounding. I’m not sure whether that’s because he’s not interested, or because he’s not strong enough to maintain his position under the hoop; I suspect the latter.
In short, if you think of a more mobile Steve Novak, you’re in the ballpark. Actually, I’m short-changing Kelly a bit; he’s a respectable on the ball defender. I don’t have a position on his help defense.
The upcoming season is going to be very important for Olynyk’s career arc. Either he can convince Boston coach Brad Stevens that he’s fully recovered from his surgery, and able to contribute to the Celtics’ rotation, or he’ll be buried by Beantown’s influx of new talent (Jaylen Brown, Al Horford, others).
Jared Sullinger got tossed overboard this summer because Boston was capped out by the arrival of Horford. The Raptors grabbed him before he could reach the open market. I can easily see a similar situation occurring with Olynyk next summer. If Kelly has spent the 16-17 season in a mop-up role, I’m sure he’d be amenable to returning home. He’s a bright guy (an Academic All-American in college) and can surely read the writing on the wall.
The Raptors can use him, as he doesn’t replicate talent already in place. A floor-stretching big man who actually cares about defense should be able to contribute.
What do you think, Rapture Nation? If Masai has a chance to grab Olynyk relatively cheaply, should he do it? Comments please.