Kelly Olynyk to the Boston Celtics
Fat chance.
And, is he the best guy to fill a need? Maybe.
In terms of the fit, I hate that he is another guy who sits out at the 3 point line and launches. He averages 3.5 three point attempts a game in 21 minutes played. He is shooting 41.4% from behind the stripe and only averaging 7.9 pts for Utah this season. He’s 6’11 240 lbs and on paper can fill the role of big man or wing man off the bench. He fits exactly what Mazzula ball wants to do, I get that, but I hate that.
"As someone who can contribute as a playoff rotation member, space the floor, and play the four and the five spots, the ten-year veteran fits the role Boston should target," Krivitsky prefaced before saying, "However, Olynyk's on an expiring $12.2 million contract, and the Celtics would need to send out slightly north of $11 million to acquire him. SOURCE
However, I don’t think I’m going to be making any changes to the Celtics philosophy from behind this keyboard. Mazzula certainly aint. So, best to go all in on something if you’re going for it. One big problem. They don’t have the ammunition.
"Even if they gut their extended rotation, and there's a case for doing so in a case like this, unless they bump someone up from a two-way deal, they'd have to include Jordan Walsh, Sam Hauser, or Payton Pritchard."
I’m not telling you Hauser, Pritchard, and Jordan Walsh are untouchables or even championship caliber chips. But, neither is Kelly Olynyk. The Celtics have the best record in the NBA. Pritchard and Hauser have been steady role players for years. There is chemistry with this group that shouldn’t go unstated.
The addition by subtraction of Marcus Smart was a major move to turn the page. There are other trade alternatives out there to turning back the clock to Kelly Olynyk.