This offseason, the Denver Nuggets need to add some players. They have little free agency options as they head into the second tax period of the league. They might attempt a deal, with Kelly Olynyk being one potential target.
The Toronto Raptors big man is a “dream” target for the Nuggets this offseason, as explained by Bleacher Report’s Andy Bailey.
Bailey stated in a May 22 piece, “Kelly Olynyk is obviously another big man, but he’s stylistically a lot closer to Jokić while also being a more reliable three-point shooter.” “Playmaking, his range, and his defensive positioning at least would make the Nuggets’ second unit far more dynamic.”
Bailey went on to explain how the Nuggets may get Olynyk through trade.
It would take a trade to acquire him because he signed an extension with the Raptors after being traded there during the previous season, but perhaps Zeke Nnaji, salary filler, and some draft capital could be sufficient to tempt the struggling Raptors.
Over the next two seasons, Olynyk’s new agreement is valued at $26 million. He has participated in several conference finals with the Boston Celtics and Miami Heat since joining the NBA in 2013. Olynyk demonstrated his depth of postseason experience by going on to participate in the NBA Finals in 2020 with the latter. It so happens that since his final season in Miami, he has missed out on the playoffs.
With a career three-point percentage of 36.9%, Olynyk has established himself as a stretch big throughout his 11 years in the NBA.
Kelly Olynyk Trade Could Benefit from Michael Porter Jr. Trade
Following the Minnesota Timberwolves’ season finale, Mike Kizla of The Denver Gazette outlined his reasoning for believing that Michael Porter Jr. should be traded by the Nuggets.
In a report published on May 20, Kizla stated, “A far bigger change is demanded to return this team to legit championship contention in a Western Conference that will only be tougher next season.” “Trading Porter, who vanished against Minnesota when the team needed him most—missing nine out of a dozen shots in Game 7 and finishing with nine points—will allow the Nuggets to realign their roster.”
The Nuggets may potentially acquire Olynyk back in a blockbuster package if they trade Porter Jr. But the Nuggets would need to reclaim more ground than Olynyk. In light of their thin roster, such a trade could be worthwhile.