2017 NBA free agency tracker: Grades for every deal so far
Kelly Olynyk: 4 years, $50 million (Miami Heat)
Free agent Kelly Olynyk has agreed to a four-year, $50M-plus deal with the Miami Heat, agent Greg Lawrence tells ESPN.
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) July 6, 2017
With the Boston Celtics renouncing restricted free agent Kelly Olynyk and the Miami Heat finishing third in the Gordon Hayward sweepstakes, Pat Riley pivoted into a deal to help address the team’s frontcourt depth, especially with Willie Reed likely gone and Bam Adebayo being a rookie.
While $12.5 million a year seems like a lot to pay a reserve like Olynyk, this stretch-5 is still only 26 years old, he quietly shot a career-high 51.2 percent from the field last year and he’s a career 36.8 percent three-point shooter. The question is whether he’ll be a backup 5 or be able to defend power forwards alongside Hassan Whiteside in the frontcourt.
More than likely, Olynyk will continue to come off the bench at the 5, especially since the South Florida Sun Sentinel‘s Ira Winderman reports the team plans on bringing back James Johnson too. ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski also reports the Heat are discussing a Josh McRoberts salary dump with the Dallas Mavericks to free up cap room. The Vertical‘s Shams Charania reported the details of the trade: McRoberts and a future second-rounder for A.J. Hammons.
A combined $102 million is a lot to commit to Olynyk and Dion Waiters in the same week, but Miami is hoping this team can replicate its 30-11 finish for a full season. If they can, last year’s fun finish could make for an entertaining 2018-19 campaign, and getting McBob off the books is a small victory in and of itself.
Bourguet Grade: B-
HoopsHabit Grade: B-