Kelly Olynyk Rumors | Hoops Rumors

Trade Rumors: Olynyk, Fontecchio, Celtics, Suns, Sixers, Lakers, More

February 7th, 2024 at 7:48am CST by Luke Adams

The Jazz likely won’t be buyers at the trade deadline, league sources tell Tony Jones of The Athletic, but the team could very well be active, with Kelly Olynyk, Jordan Clarkson, and Simone Fontecchio among the top candidates to be dealt.

Jones classifies Clarkson as the least likely player in that trio to be on the move by Thursday’s trade deadline, writing that Olynyk has generated widespread interest among playoff contenders due to his expiring contract and offensive versatility. As for Fontecchio, the forward has generated serious interest from the Celtics and Suns, Jones reports. Those two clubs have limited salary-matching pieces, so Fontecchio’s $3MM cap hit makes him an ideal target.

According to Brian Robb of MassLive.com, the Celtics actually have interest in multiple Jazz players. Robb confirms Fontecchio is a target and suggests the club is eyeing Olynyk and Kris Dunn as well. Olynyk is likely a long shot due to his $12.2MM cap hit, which would be impossible for Boston to match without packaging several players; Dunn’s $2.6MM salary represents a better fit.

Adam Himmelsbach of The Boston Globe (Twitter link) is hearing from sources that it would be surprising if the Celtics don’t make a deadline deal. However, it’s most likely to be a relatively minor move for a player who would essentially provide injury insurance, Himmelsbach says.

Here are a few more trade rumors from around the NBA:

Despite the fact that they’ll be without Joel Embiid for at least a month or two as he recovers from knee surgery, the Sixers continue to operate as buyers in advance of the trade deadline, Adrian Wojnarowski said during a Tuesday appearance on NBA Today (Twitter video link). Philadelphia is exploring the market for centers, per Wojnarowski, hoping to find a big man who can fill in for Embiid and help the team maintain its hold on a playoff spot in the East.
Sam Amick of The Athletic takes a look at the Lakers‘ ongoing pursuit of guard Dejounte Murray, confirming previous reports stating that Hawks head coach Quin Snyder has advocated for the team to hang onto the former All-Star and that an agreement may ultimately hinge on Atlanta’s ability to flip D’Angelo Russell to a third team.
Within that same Athletic story, Amick says a high-ranking Lakers official “scoffed” at the idea that the club would ever consider trading LeBron James and cites team sources who say the franchise would “strongly prefer” for LeBron to ultimately retire as a Laker. With that in mind, Los Angeles’ desire to keep James happy is a factor to consider as the club weighs potential moves at the trade deadline, Amick notes.
Although Nic Claxton will be an unrestricted free agent at season’s end, the Nets would have to be blown away by an offer to consider moving him at this week’s deadline, writes Ian Begley of SNY.tv. Sources tell Begley that Brooklyn wants Claxton on its roster going forward and will be aggressive about trying to re-sign him in the offseason.

Rockets Rumors: Bridges, Centers, Tate, Brogdon, Core

January 31st, 2024 at 2:15pm CST by Luke Adams

Despite a modest 22-24 record that places them 11th in the West, the Rockets are motivated to be buyers on the trade market at next week’s deadline and will be seeking high-level talent, according to Kelly Iko, Shams Charania, and Sam Amick of The Athletic.

As The Athletic’s trio explains, the presence of new head coach Ime Udoka – and his strong influence with the team’s top decision-makers – has contributed to an acceleration of the Rockets’ timeline. Udoka has been frustrated by the team’s “inconsistencies” and is determined to make the postseason, and his level of urgency has helped convince the front office to adjust its expectations for the club and its strategy on the trade market.

The Rockets’ interest in Nets forward Mikal Bridges, reported earlier today by Michael Scotto of HoopsHype, is one example of the club’s pursuit of impact players. The Athletic’s reporters confirm that Houston’s level of interest in Bridges is “extremely high,” but echo Scotto in saying that Brooklyn continues to view the 27-year-old as a cornerstone piece and has no interest in moving him.

Here’s more on the Rockets:

Houston also continues to scour the trade market for more frontcourt help, with Kelly Olynyk (Jazz), Clint Capela (Hawks), Andre Drummond (Bulls), and Robert Williams (Trail Blazers) among the big men on the team’s radar, per Iko, Charania, and Amick. Udoka would like to find a center capable of not only manning the position when Alperen Sengun is on the bench but also potentially playing alongside Sengun, like Williams and Al Horford did during Udoka’s time in Boston.
While the Rockets will likely look to package draft capital with expiring or pseudo-expiring contracts like those belonging to Victor Oladipo, Jock Landale, and Boban Marjanovic, they also view forward Jae’Sean Tate as “movable,” according to The Athletic’s report. League sources tell The Athletic that the Celtics and Suns have shown some level of interest in Tate.
A ball-handler who can defend would also be on the Rockets’ wish list, league sources tell The Athletic’s trio, who mention Trail Blazers guard Malcolm Brogdon as one player who fits the bill. However, Houston isn’t eager to cut into Cam Whitmore‘s or Amen Thompson‘s minutes, which may affect the club’s aggressiveness in pursuing backcourt help.
Whitmore and Thompson are considered off-limits in most trade talks, according to Iko, Charania, and Amick, who say the Rockets aren’t interested in moving Jabari Smith or Tari Eason either. Jalen Green is also in that group of young players Houston would be very reluctant to trade, though The Athletic’s reporters suggest he’s not necessarily viewed as untouchable like he would’ve been a year or two ago, with Sengun having overtaken him as the player prioritized in the Rockets’ schemes. It sounds as if Houston won’t move any of its young core players in a deal for a mere rotation upgrade, but would consider including one in a package for a star.

Knicks Rumors: Clarkson, Olynyk, Grimes, Griffin, Randle, More

January 31st, 2024 at 9:06am CST by Luke Adams

Jazz guard Jordan Clarkson and big man Kelly Olynyk are among the players the Knicks have inquired on ahead of next Thursday’s trade deadline, league sources tell Michael Scotto of HoopsHype. Scotto says New York registered trade interest in both Utah players earlier in January.

According to Scotto, Knicks wing Quentin Grimes came up in separate discussions with the Jazz for Clarkson and Olynyk. Ian Begley of SNY.tv previously identified Utah as one of the teams with interest in Grimes.

Sources tell HoopsHype that Olynyk has drawn interest from several clubs and is viewed by rival executives as the Jazz’s top trade candidate, though one NBA scout who spoke to Scotto is more bullish about Clarkson’s ability to make an impact for a new team.

“Whatever team can get Clarkson will be a game changer,” that scout said. “I think he’s the best of the volume scorers available on the trade market.”

Here’s more on the Knicks:

According to Scotto, Grimes has also come up in New York’s discussions with the Hawks, another team previously named by Begley as a team with interest in the third-year swingman. The two clubs discussed Grimes in separate negotiations involving Dejounte Murray and AJ Griffin, per Scotto, who adds that Atlanta views Grimes as a potential three-and-D fit next to Trae Young.
Knicks forward OG Anunoby missed a second consecutive game on Tuesday due to inflammation in his elbow, but he’s still considered day-to-day, so it doesn’t sound like his absence should be a lengthy one, writes Peter Botte of The New York Post. As Botte relays, head coach Tom Thibodeau said on Tuesday that he hopes to have more information on Julius Randle‘s recovery timeline for his dislocated right shoulder within “a day or two.”
Despite being without Anunoby and Randle again, the Knicks won their eighth consecutive game on Tuesday, registering a 118-103 victory at home over Utah. Precious Achiuwa played a significant role in his second start as a Knick, scoring 18 points on 8-of-13 shooting in a season-high 40 minutes. “I’m getting more and more comfortable with my teammates,” Achiuwa said, per Andrew Crane of The New York Post. “They’re getting comfortable with me and my style of play as well, and just playing the right way, making the right reads.”

Trade Rumors: Gafford, Grimes, Wizards, Raptors, Jazz, Bridges

January 26th, 2024 at 3:36pm CST by Luke Adams

The Wizards are among the teams with interest in Knicks wing Quentin Grimes, according to Ian Begley of SNY.tv, who also confirms that Washington center Daniel Gafford remains on New York’s radar. A report a couple weeks ago indicated that the Knicks had inquired on Gafford.

With Isaiah Hartenstein playing well in a starting role, Precious Achiuwa and Jericho Sims providing depth at the five, and Mitchell Robinson possibly on track to return before the season is over, the Knicks might already be set up front.

However, Robinson’s return this season isn’t a certainty and Hartenstein has missed the past two games with an injury of his own (left Achilles tendinopathy), so it sounds as if the Knicks haven’t ruled out the possibility of pursuing another frontcourt player. Still, if Hartenstein is back in the lineup within a week or so and feels good, I wouldn’t expect a center – especially one like Gafford, who wouldn’t be cheap – to be a focus at the deadline.

Here are a few more trade-related notes and rumors from around the NBA:

Acquiring draft picks will be a top priority for the Wizards on the trade market, ESPN’s Brian Windhorst said on the latest episode of The Hoop Collective podcast, noting that the team wasn’t able to extract a first-rounder in its offseason deals involving Bradley Beal, Kristaps Porzingis, and Monte Morris. Drafting and developing players is a specialty for multiple Wizards executives, including GM Will Dawkins and VP of player personnel Travis Schlenk, Windhorst observes, so the club has a “mandate” to restock its draft assets.
The Raptors remain open for business, according to Josh Lewenberg of TSN.ca, who says Scottie Barnes, Immanuel Quickley, and RJ Barrett are believed to be off-limits, but anyone else could be on the table. Lewenberg identifies Dennis Schröder, Gary Trent, Chris Boucher, and Bruce Brown as the team’s top trade candidates and doesn’t close the door on the possibility of a Jakob Poeltl deal.
Outside of Lauri Markkanen, who is virtually untouchable, Jordan Clarkson and Kelly Olynyk are the Jazz players generating the most trade interest, league sources tell Tony Jones of The Athletic. Jones adds that the Knicks are among the team showing the most interest in Clarkson.
As his name pops up in trade rumors, Hornets forward Miles Bridges tells Roderick Boone of The Charlotte Observer that his preference would be to remain in Charlotte. “Like I said before, the Hornets have been behind me and I want to stay here,” Bridges said. “I want to be here and that’s never going to change. So, as much talk as people hear that’s going around, just know that I want to stay with the Hornets.” If that’s truly what he wants, he has the power to make it happen, given that he has the right to veto any trade involving him this season.

Stein’s Latest: Rockets, Barnes, O’Neale, Hunter, Bogdanovic, Jazz, Murray

January 16th, 2024 at 6:58pm CST by Dana Gauruder

The Rockets are pursuing frontcourt options to give Most Improved Player Award candidate Alperen Şengün some help, Marc Stein reports in his latest Substack post. They’re danging Victor Oladipo‘s expiring $9.5MM deal and Jock Landale‘s contract, which isn’t guaranteed beyond this season, as enticements. Houston is also seeking another shooter and has shown interest in the Kings’ Harrison Barnes, according to Stein.

Here are more tidbits from Stein’s story:

Barnes could be on the move, despite signing a three-year, $54MM extension last offseason. However, the Kings would prefer to get an impact player using Barnes as part of the package. They’ve had discussions with the Raptors regarding a potential Pascal Siakam deal. The Kings have also made Kevin Huerter and Davion Mitchell available but have no interest in dealing second-year forward Keegan Murray.
Stein suggested a couple of days ago that the Cavaliers might pursue Royce O’Neale to fill their 3-and-D need. He now hears that the Nets forward is indeed on Cleveland’s list of targets. The Hawks’ De’Andre Hunter could also be a target to watch for Cleveland, but his contract — he’s in the first year of a four-year, $90MM extension — would make the Cavs’ future cap issues more challenging. O’Neale will be a free agent after the season.
The Pistons had some exploratory discussions with a number of teams regarding swingman Bojan Bogdanović. However, it’s not a certainty they’ll deal him, says Stein. They may want to keep him around to help avoid setting the NBA record for the worst all-time season record, currently held by Sixers (9-73).
The Jazz’s surge up the Western Conference standings has made it tougher to predict what their front office will do in the coming weeks. Kelly Olynyk and Jordan Clarkson are the veterans most frequently mentioned as potential trade pieces but the chatter regarding John Collins has died down since he became the team’s starting center, according to Stein. Top exec Danny Ainge will still likely listen to trade pitches for virtually any player on the roster.
Dejounte Murray‘s list of potential suitors includes the Spurs, Lakers, Nets, Knicks and Pistons, Stein reports. The Hawks, as previously noted, are looking to replenish their draft assets after they gave up three first-round picks (two of their own) and a pick swap to acquire him from San Antonio in 2022.

Northwest Notes: McLaughlin, Olynyk, Jazz, Thunder

January 4th, 2024 at 7:51am CST by Luke Adams

Veteran guard Jordan McLaughlin hasn’t seen much playing time this season for the Timberwolves, but he made an instant impact in his 12 minutes on Monday in New York, per Chris Hine of The Star Tribune, and logged a season-high 17 minutes on Wednesday vs. New Orleans.

Minnesota lost both games, but McLaughlin was a plus-18 in his 29 minutes of action and appears on track to securing a more consistent role in head coach Chris Finch‘s regular rotation, according to Hine.

“Every single time he’s come in and had a super positive impact,” Finch said after the loss to the Knicks. “… We still believe that position (the ninth man) could be situational, but if somebody comes and takes it, then somebody comes and takes it and it looks like J-Mac is on his way to doing that right now.”

As Hine writes, McLaughlin was limited last season due to a calf injury, and a knee issue affected him for several weeks earlier in 2023/24, but he looks like he’s back in form as of late. The 27-year-old is in the final season of a three-year contract with the Wolves and will be an unrestricted free agent this summer if he doesn’t sign an extension before then.

Here’s more from around the Northwest:

Big man Kelly Olynyk has had the most “robust” trade market so far of the Jazz players presumed to be available, Ben Anderson of KSL Sports says in a mailbag. That doesn’t necessarily mean that an Olynyk trade would result in the most significant return — it’s more likely that his skill set (and expiring contract) appeals to the widest range of teams.
After searching for an optimal rotation for much of the season, the Jazz seem to have found it lately, notes Tony Jones of The Athletic. Since Kris Dunn entered the lineup as the starting point guard on December 21, Utah has won six of seven games. A starter earlier in the season, Jordan Clarkson has been thriving in a bench role, recording the Jazz’s first triple-double in 16 years on Monday.
In a pair of stories on the ascendant Thunder, Zach Kram of The Ringer takes a look at how impactful Chet Holmgren has been in his first 33 NBA games, while Anthony Slater of The Athletic explores how the team has taken advantage of its versatility and been “open-minded and experimental” in building a top-five offense.
Despite the Thunder‘s impressive 23-10 start this season, which includes recent wins over top teams like Boston, Denver, and Minnesota, the young team’s stars aren’t interested in discussing where they fit among the NBA’s contenders, writes Tim MacMahon of ESPN. “We know we have a long ways to go,” Holmgren said after the victory over the Celtics on Tuesday. “We’re at 32 games into the season, so we still have 50 games left. We got a lot of lessons to learn, a lot of lessons we’ve already learned from that we’ve got to kind of keep in the back of our mind.”

Jazz Notes: Horton-Tucker, Sexton, Olynyk, Play-In Tournament

December 28th, 2023 at 9:57am CST by Arthur Hill

Talen Horton-Tucker didn’t get off the Jazz bench Tuesday night despite being available to play after missing two games with a sore left foot, writes Sarah Todd of The Deseret News. Coach Will Hardy explained it was because other guards have been playing well during the team’s three-game winning streak, but Todd believes Horton-Tucker is in danger of being dropped from the rotation.

“There’s only so many people that can play in the game,” Hardy said. “Kris (Dunn) and Collin (Sexton) have been in a good groove. Talen has played well. It’s nothing that he’s done wrong, but he is coming off an injury and we had won two games in a row. It didn’t feel right to the team to disrupt that rhythm. I think it would have been the same if it had been somebody else.”

Todd points out that the same standard didn’t apply to rookie Keyonte George, who logged 24 minutes Tuesday after missing six games with a foot injury. Horton-Tucker began the season as a starter in Utah’s backcourt, but George took over that role in the team’s eighth game and held it until his injury.

At that time, it was Dunn who was out of the rotation, Todd adds, but he and Sexton have been meshing well together recently, so Hardy is relying on what has been working. With an $11MM expiring contract, Horton-Tucker may not be part of the team’s future unless something changes.

There’s more from Utah:

Sexton has been working with assistant coaches to dissect the pick-and-roll so he can become more of a play-maker, Todd states in a separate story. As he expands his options, Sexton has raised his assists to 3.6 per game after averaging 2.9 last season. “He’s just sort of in a groove right now,” Hardy said. “I think the best thing for me is that he’s had a couple of games where he’s made a lot of good decisions and he’s still scored a lot of points and I think it’s just showing him that though he has a scoring mindset, you don’t have to think ‘score’ on every play to score a lot of points in this league.”
Replacing Walker Kessler with Kelly Olynyk in the starting lineup has helped unclog the team’s offense, observes Tony Jones of The Athletic. Although Kessler remains one of the league’s best shot blockers in his second season, he doesn’t put enough pressure on opposing defenses. Jones notes that Hardy can run a five-out approach with Olynyk, which creates room for Sexton and Lauri Markkanen to attack the basket.
The Jazz are focused on overcoming their slow start to reach the play-in tournament, per Eric Walden of The Salt Lake Tribune. The recent hot streak has moved Utah to within two-and-a-half games of 10th place. “You’ve got to just keep building,” Olynyk said. What’s happened in the past happened; now you gotta learn from it, grow, keep building, and not let the past dictate the future.”

Stein’s Latest: Olynyk, LaVine, Tucker, Murray, McClung

December 25th, 2023 at 3:59pm CST by Arthur Hill

The Celtics view Jazz big man Kelly Olynyk as a possible trade target, Marc Stein writes in his latest Substack column.

With a $12.2MM expiring contract, Olynyk is one of several Utah veterans who might be on the move prior to the trade deadline. Boston drafted him in 2013 and he spent his first four NBA seasons with the Celtics, so he’s familiar with the organization.

After being a starter last year, Olynyk has moved into a reserve role in his second season with the Jazz, although he has started seven games because of injures to teammates. He posted 27 points, three rebounds, six assists and four steals in Thursday’s win at Detroit.

Boston’s current salary structure makes an Olynyk trade challenging, notes Keith Smith of Spotrac (Twitter link). Without giving up one of their rotation players, the Celtics would have to have to send out several minimum contracts to match Olynyk’s salary.

Stein also expects the Knicks to have interest in Olynyk after starting center Mitchell Robinson underwent ankle surgery that could sideline him for the rest of the season.

Stein passes along more inside information on potential trades:

Citing conversations at the G League Winter Showcase, Stein remains skeptical that the Sixers have interest in trading for Bulls guard Zach LaVine. League sources tell Stein that Philadelphia wants to find someone who can contribute on both ends of the court, and the team is reluctant to give up its cap space for next summer to acquire LaVine, who still has three seasons left on his five-year, $215MM deal. The Lakers may be more inclined to consider LaVine after going 2-5 in their last seven games, but Stein notes that L.A. also prizes salary flexibility and tends to seek out players with shorter contracts to team with LeBron James and Anthony Davis.
The Bucks and Heat still have “a healthy level of admiration” for P.J. Tucker, league sources tell Stein, but his $11MM salary for this season and a guaranteed $11.5MM for 2024/25 will limit trade interest. Tucker, who was acquired from Philadelphia as part of the James Harden deal, hasn’t played for the Clippers in nearly a month.
Rival teams expect the Hawks to consider a Dejounte Murray trade before the deadline, Stein adds. Atlanta’s front office may explore deals involving several players as it tries to assemble a better mix of talent around Trae Young. Stein states that the Hawks would be hoping to replenish their draft assets after sending three future first-round picks and a pick swap to San Antonio in the trade to acquire Murray.
In an interview with Mac McClung, the 2023 Slam Dunk Contest champ says he’s still deciding whether he’ll return to the event to try to defend his title.

Jazz Notes: Trade Candidates, Markkanen, George, Hendricks

December 15th, 2023 at 9:03am CST by Luke Adams

There will likely be no shortage of Jazz veterans available on the trade market this season. Following up on reporting from Michael Scotto of HoopsHype and Andy Larsen of The Salt Lake Tribune, Marc Stein confirms in his latest Substack story that guards Jordan Clarkson and Collin Sexton and big man Kelly Olynyk are cited frequently by rival executives as players Utah is thought to be willing to move.

According to Stein, there’s also “palpable” curiosity from some teams about the Jazz’s long-term plans for Lauri Markkanen, the franchise’s top scorer and lone 2023 All-Star.

As Stein notes, Larsen wrote this week that Markkanen is at the top of the list of players the Jazz want to keep, so the odds that the Finnish forward will be involved in a midseason trade seem low. However, Stein says there’s a “rising belief” that there will be a club or two willing to “test Utah’s resolve” by making a play for Markkanen.

Here’s more on the Jazz:

Utah got good news on rookie Keyonte George, who injured his left foot during the team’s win over New York on Wednesday. As Larsen relays (via Twitter), the Jazz announced on Thursday that an MRI showed George avoided significant damage. The first-year guard missed Thursday’s game in Portland and will remain sidelined for Saturday’s contest in Sacramento before being reevaluated when the club returns home.
After making a brief appearance in Utah’s season opener and then not playing at all in the next 18 games, lottery pick Taylor Hendricks has been getting a longer look as of late, averaging 20.9 minutes per night in the team’s past six games. The early returns have been up and down, but Hendricks was a plus-25 in Wednesday’s victory and recorded 10 points and seven rebounds in Thursday’s win, earning praise for his effort, especially on defense. “He’s playing really hard. He’s still learning the detail part of it all,” Jazz head coach Will Hardy said before Thursday’s game, per Eric Walden of The Salt Lake Tribune. “… His activity is great. All I’m asking of Taylor right now is that he just plays as hard as he can. Because he has an ability to block in transition, gets his hand on a couple of passes with his length — his athleticism really shows up.”
It’s too early to tell whether Utah’s consecutive wins this week are a blip on the radar or the start of the Jazz turning a corner on their season, writes Tony Jones of The Athletic. Still, as Jones details, there have been some positive signs, including good ball movement, quality defense from Hendricks and Walker Kessler, and some of Sexton’s best scoring nights of the fall.

Injury Notes: Beal, Suns, Porzingis, Harris, Adebayo, Jazz

December 8th, 2023 at 9:41am CST by Luke Adams

Star guard Bradley Beal fully participated in the Suns‘ practice on Thursday, but he’s not quite ready to return from his back injury, writes Duane Rankin of The Arizona Republic. The team wants to get Beal some more practice reps before reinserting him into its lineup, according to head coach Frank Vogel.

“We want to see him stack together a few practices where he responds well,” Vogel said. “No timeline on how many that is or what that looks like, but we want to continue to make sure he’s responding well before we put him back in there. Stay away from being in and out.”

The shorthanded Suns will also be without Kevin Durant (left ankle sprain) and Grayson Allen (right groin strain) when they host Sacramento on Friday. However, as Rankin relays, Vogel referred to those injuries as “short-term” issues, suggesting Durant and Allen may not miss much – if any – additional time beyond Friday.

Here are a few more injury updates from around the NBA:

As expected, Kristaps Porzingis appears poised to return for the Celtics after missing four games due to a strained left calf. He’s considered probable to play in Friday’s game vs. New York, according to the team (Twitter link).
[Note: Porzingis has since been upgraded to available.]
Pistons forward Joe Harris, who has been sidelined since November 5 due to a shoulder injury, has been upgraded to questionable for Friday’s game in Orlando, tweets Omari Sankofa II of The Detroit Free Press. Spacing has been an issue this season for the Pistons, who rank 28th in the NBA in three-pointers per game, so the return of Harris, a career 43.6% three-point shooter, could be a boon.
Heat big man Bam Adebayo will miss a second consecutive game on Friday vs. Cleveland due to his left hip contusion, tweets Ira Winderman of The South Florida Sun Sentinel. Adebayo said earlier this week that he’s unsure about his return timeline.
The Jazz are close to getting some lineup reinforcements. Jordan Clarkson (right thigh contusion), who has missed the past three games, and Kelly Olynyk (right shoulder strain), who has been out for two in a row, are listed as questionable for Friday vs. the Clippers. Lauri Markkanen (left hamstring strain) will be unavailable for a seventh straight contest, but was a full practice participant on Thursday and just has to tick a couple more boxes before being cleared to return, Sarah Todd of The Deseret News explains.