Kelly Olynyk

[Jon]

Olynyk was a 13th pick.  Now Kobe Bryant and Karl Malone were #13 picks but other than that, Olynyk is probably average or maybe slightly above the historical norm for that draft slot.  If you look at the analysis by Nylon Calculus:

 http://nyloncalculus.com/2016/06/17/freelance-friday-expected-value-in-the-nba-draft/

Olynyk is pretty much average for a #13 pick.  The pick was no home run, the pick was no colossal failure.  It was a very average pick for #13.  I continue to be surprised by the level of consternation people have with this pick.

Agreed. Everyone points to Antetokounmpo, but that's just lazy cherry picking. You could say that pretty much everyone with a top 14 pick missed the boat on him. And if we were to extend that logic to every draft, do we crucify every GM who passed on IT (with some, multiple times) in the 2011 draft?

Kelly may never be better than he is now, but he was a pretty decent pick in a pretty weak draft.

[Smitty77]

When Olynyk had that good Summer league rookie year, I thought he could be a good point forward--much like Bird, though not at that level. He was slim and pretty mobile. Brought the ball up a lot and passed or shot very well.

Then it seems they decided to make him a center. Muscle him up and put him in the middle. He slowed down, lost mobility, and hasn't been very good in that role. If he slimmed down again, he might be a decent stretch 3. But I think he's out of position at the 4-5.

Posters have widely varied opinions about him, but I don't see the kid I first saw in the Summer league. Maybe he just doesn't have the ball as much, with their backcourt getting most of the touches.

Bobshot,

You make some very good points!!!!  Perhaps KO would be better slimming back down.  He just doesn't seem to enjoy pushing and blocking out on the post and I don't think he will EVER be good at that.  Very good points!!!

Smitty77

[PhoSita]

This exact same thread is posted anew ever couple weeks, it seems.

Strange timing given how well he played in the last game.

Personally I like having Kelly around. He's one of my favorite bench guys in the league. And yeah, I think he's just a bench guy and nothing more. Still a really useful player.

[Ilikesports17]

Kelly Olynyk with the most Kelly Olynyk injury of all time.

[SHAQATTACK]

Kelly reads this blog and .......and adjusts his game accordingly .

[ThePaintedArea]

The player has slow feet. He is slow. It is a fact. Defensively he might have gotten better. When you were already a terrible defensive player, please define better?

wait. are you describing olly or bird? 

Lol. I had the same thought. And like Bird, he excels in team defense.

The comment about Kelly's alleged slowness is particularly ironic in light of Coach Nick's video, linked above, which advocates for Kelly in the starting lineup - precisely because he's quicker than Horford to close out on the perimeter.

Olynyk has defensive limitations - guarding a quicker guy out on the floor in an iso is a particular problem, and his post defense is mediocre despite some good moments.  Perhaps some of those things are what brother Flybono is seeing.  But his pnr defense is excellent, he anticipates, gets deflections, has good habits and feel for spacing, doesn't ball-watch.  As mentioned above, he's one of the league leaders in drawing charges and leads the team in defensive rebound% - evidence, if any were needed, that he gets physical.

[CsBanner18]

We should either trade Olynyk before the deadline or let him walk. I'm 100% against paying him next season. Watching him play makes me cringe, and he's a constant reminder of Giannis.

Not to mention we have Zizic, Yabu, Nader, & the BKN pick that could take Kelly's roster spot

[BDeCosta26]

I get that Kelly is frustrating because his talents are so obvious. I mean, there really aren't a lot of 7 footers who can shoot 40% from 3, beat his man off the dribble for easy layups, and pass like a PG. you see the games like that 26 point outburst against Atlanta or his 28 against GSW last year and you say "Man, if he could put it all together he could be spectacular". He just can't do it consistently.

Still, he has a massive impact on this team on both sides of the ball. IMO, he should be starting next to Al. He's just unappreciated around here because this team desperately needs an interior rebounding presence and that's just not who Kelly is.