Latest news with #KellyOlynyk
Yahoo
12-07-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Washington Wizards' biggest mistake in 2025 NBA free agency
The post Washington Wizards' biggest mistake in 2025 NBA free agency appeared first on ClutchPoints. The Washington Wizards have been one of the more intriguing teams of the 2025 NBA offseason. In an era where franchises often swing wildly between impulsive win-now trades and total teardown rebuilds, Washington has carved a rare, balanced path, blending long-term vision with shrewd short-term execution in the 2025 free agency. From their calculated draft picks to their unexpected trade coups, the Wizards' front office has earned widespread praise. Advertisement But beneath all the clever maneuvering lies a fatal flaw, a hole that threatens to undo much of the progress they've made. While Washington may have won the asset battle, they've lost sight of the immediate roster need that could derail their development arc – the absence of a true defensive anchor in the frontcourt. The big mistake in free agency: Failing to address the center position The center spot is now a glaring weakness for Washington. The Wizards traded Kelly Olynyk to the San Antonio Spurs for Malaki Branham, Blake Wesley, and a 2026 second-round pick. Initially intended to serve as a veteran buffer for the developing frontcourt, the Wizards now find themselves thin on both experience and defensive reliability at the five. Yes, Alex Sarr is an exciting young prospect with the tools to become a franchise big man. But he is still raw, and it's unrealistic to expect him to anchor an NBA defense in his first full season. Richaun Holmes and Malcolm Brogdon have both been the subject of trade rumors, and neither is expected to be a long-term part of the rotation. That leaves Washington dangerously exposed in the paint. Interior defense, rim protection, and veteran communication are all crucial during a rebuild, especially for a young team with ball-dominant perimeter players like Whitmore, Johnson, and Carrington. The absence of a strong defensive center could lead to repeated breakdowns, hinder perimeter development, and stunt the team's progress in real-game situations. Advertisement Why this free agency mistake matters The Wizards have positioned themselves as a team on the rise. But despite their high marks in asset accumulation and future flexibility, there's a major shortcoming. Every rebuild is a balancing act between long-term vision and short-term execution. The Wizards have nailed the former, but their failure to address this immediate need threatens to throw off their timeline. Without a defensive backbone, their young core won't get the structure they need to grow. Teams that ignore defensive fundamentals during a rebuild often find themselves stuck in the middle, able to score but unable to close games or protect leads. That leads to bad habits, low morale, and ultimately, stagnation. The Wizards signed F/C Tristan Vukcevic to a two-way contract, per ESPN's Shams Charania. The 7-footer flashed his offensive game in 35 appearances in 2024-25, averaging 9.4 points and 3.7 rebounds on 49.6% FG and 37.3% 3pt. Advertisement A series of savvy transactions by the Washington Wizards Let's begin by giving the Wizards their due. Landing Cam Whitmore for just two future second-round picks was an absolute steal. The former Rockets wing, once projected as a star-in-the-making, became expendable in Houston after the team acquired Kevin Durant. That move created a logjam at the forward positions, opening the door for Washington to pounce. Whitmore's explosiveness, scoring upside, and defensive potential offer exactly the kind of high-reward talent every rebuilding team needs. Then came the No. 6 overall pick, which the Wizards used to select Tre Johnson, arguably the best shooter in the 2025 class. His fit with Whitmore is seamless – Johnson can space the floor while Whitmore slashes to the rim, creating a promising perimeter duo. Advertisement They didn't stop there. In a bold cap-clearing trade, Washington sent out Jordan Poole, Saddiq Bey, and the No. 40 pick in exchange for veterans CJ McCollum and Kelly Olynyk. The move not only brought in respected locker-room voices but also opened the door for a future cap windfall. With this and other minor moves, the Wizards are now poised to enter the 2026 offseason with up to $100 million in cap space – the most of any NBA team. In many ways, the 2025 Wizards offseason is a case study in how to rebuild smartly – gathering talent, clearing cap space, and investing in upside. But no rebuild is complete without attention to foundational details. And for Washington, that foundation is cracking in the frontcourt. If they can recognize this and pivot swiftly, by adding a defensively solid big, their offseason will transform from 'promising' to 'complete.' If not, the 2025-26 season could become another frustrating chapter in their long search for stability. Related: Wizards trade proposal for Anfernee Simons amid Celtics rumors Advertisement Related: The move Washington Wizards still must make in 2025 NBA free agency
Yahoo
12-07-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Spurs add Victor Wembanyama backup in trade with Wizards
The post Spurs add Victor Wembanyama backup in trade with Wizards appeared first on ClutchPoints. The San Antonio Spurs are making moves to try and compete in a very competitive Western Conference. The Spurs recently drafted guard Dylan Harper out of Rutgers to be one of the future stars of the franchise. Now that the starting lineup is set, the team is trying to round out the rest of the roster to form a dynamic team. Advertisement On Tuesday night, Shams Charania announced that the Spurs have traded for big man Kelly Olynyk from the Washington Wizards, in exchange for Malaki Branham, Blake Wesley, and a 2026 second-round pick (least favorable of Dallas, Philadelphia, and Oklahoma City). This trade comes right after the Wizards acquired Cam Whitemore from the Houston Rockets. The Wizards are trying to rebuild, and do not need Olynyk's services any longer. Olynyk will now back up superstar Victor Wembanyama. The Spurs also signed Luke Kornet recently. Washington also traded away Jordan Poole to the New Orleans Pelicans for CJ McCollum. Washington has been making a ton of moves. It is too early to tell if this trade with the Spurs will benefit them, but Branham and Wesley have shown that they can be assets if called upon. Branham averaged 10.2 points per game in his rookie season in San Antonio. As for Wesley, he averaged his career high is 5.0 with SA as well. Both Branham and Wesley are from the same draft class and should be role players for the Wizards. Advertisement The Spurs will try and squeeze out the last of Olynyk's skillset as he is now 34 years old. The big man does not have too much gas left in the tank, but can still produce at a high level. Olynyk can still score the rock; he hasn't averaged lower than 7.1 points per game for his entire career. He was a solid role player for the Boston Celtics in his early days and the same with the Miami Heat after that. Last season with two different teams, he averaged 8.7 points. The Spurs will benefit from having him on the court, especially at the same time as Wembanyama. Related: Wizards trade grade for Kelly Olynyk deal with Spurs Related: NBA rumors: Suns, Clippers considered Chris Paul free agency finalists
Yahoo
12-07-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Wizards trade grade for Kelly Olynyk deal with Spurs
The post Wizards trade grade for Kelly Olynyk deal with Spurs appeared first on ClutchPoints. The Washington Wizards trading for veteran center Kelly Olynyk this summer made sense on paper, but it wasn't a marriage meant to last. They rerouted the 34-year-old to the San Antonio Spurs on Tuesday in a move that builds upon their already-flexible financial situation. Advertisement The full trade details are below: Wizards get: G Malaki Branham G Blake Wesley 2026 second-round pick (least favorable of PHI, DAL, OKC) Spurs get: C Kelly Olynyk This deal gives Washington more salary cap room, via HoopsHype's Michael Scotto. 'By trading Kelly Olynyk to the Spurs, the Washington Wizards increased their tax and apron buffer to take on more salary throughout the summer and season,' he reported. 'Washington also created a $13.5 million TPE [traded player exception]. Olynyk joins a competitive Spurs team while in a contract year ($13.45 million).' TPEs are created when a team trades a player and receives less incoming salary than what it sent out. That's what happened here, as Olynyk's $13.45 million salary next season is more than Branham's ($4.96 million) and Wesley's ($4.73 million) combined. Now, the Wizards can use that TPE to take back $13.5 million in salary without adding to their cap or luxury tax. Advertisement That will come in handy later, when they inevitably take on more unwanted money in exchange for draft capital and/or young players. For now, they must cut down their active roster, which currently has 17 players: F Khris Middleton G CJ McCollum G Marcus Smart G Corey Kispert F/C Richaun Holmes F/C Alex Sarr G Tre Johnson G Bilal Coulibaly G Bub Carrington F Cam Whitmore F Will Riley G Malaki Branham G AJ Johnson G/F Kyshawn George G Dillon Jones G Blake Wesley F Justin Champagnie Although Washington currently has a dearth of centers, Holmes is another player who could be on his way out soon, via Scotto. 'Sources: Wizards center Richaun Holmes is partially guaranteed $250,000 of his $13.28 million salary for the 2025-26 season, which makes him a prime candidate to be eventually waived or traded, given Washington's roster logjam,' he reported. 'He averaged 7.4 points and 5.7 rebounds last season.' Eating almost no dead money after cutting the 6-foot-9-inch, 235-pounder's expiring contract would easily open a roster spot the Wizards could use to get a taller center. Other than the 7-foot Alex Sarr, they have nobody over 6-foot-9-inches. However, they could bring back the 7-foot Tristan Vukcevic, who's a restricted free agent. Advertisement Trading/buying out Smart's expiring $21 million salary and trading Kispert could also be in the cards, as both players are expendable. Regardless, Washington has multiple ways to trim the roster before the season begins in October. The bottom line right now is that it turned an unwanted asset into some useful ones, including the TPE. Wizards add more assets to aid rebuild Cary Edmondson-USA TODAY Sports Wesley and Branham fit what Washington is looking for right now: young players who were drafted in the first round. This trade now gives the team 11 first-round picks over the last four NBA Drafts: Branham (No. 2o overall, 2022) Wesley (No. 25 overall, 2022) Coulibaly (No. 7 overall, 2023) Whitmore (No. 20 overall, 2023) Sarr (No. 2 overall, 2024) Carrington (No. 14 overall, 2024) Johnson (No. 23 overall, 2024) George (No. 24 overall, 2024) Jones (No. 26 overall, 2024) Johnson (No. 6 overall, 2025) Riley (No. 21 overall, 2025) Branham is averaging 8.5 points on 43.9 percent shooting (33.6 percent 3 PT) with two rebounds and 1.7 assists over 19 minutes across his career, while Wesley checks in at 4.3 points on 40.9 percent shooting (29.7 percent 3 PT) with 1.5 rebounds and 2.4 assists over 14.3 minutes. It wouldn't be tragic for the Wizards if neither player pans out, as they're both on expiring deals before hitting restricted free agency. They could either try them out as role players in the backcourt, trade them to another team, or waive them and eat the dead money. Advertisement Meanwhile, Washington now has five picks and one pick swap next summer, not including its top-eight protected selection owned by the New York Knicks: First-round pick (least favorable of OKC, HOU, or LAC) First-round pick swap (PHX, protected for selections 9-30) Second-round pick (via PHX) Second-round pick Second-round pick (via MIN, NYK, NOP, or POR) Second-round pick (least favorable of PHI, DAL, or OKC) Washington is once again in a position to add more high-upside talent in next summer's draft. Assuming that it gets back its pick from the Knicks after finishing near the bottom of the standings, it will have at least two first-rounders and four second-rounders to either draft players with or trade, if it doesn't deal those picks over the next year. Furthermore, Wizards fans now won't have to watch Olynyk play for their team after he scored 26 points on them with the Boston Celtics in Game 7 of the 2017 Eastern Conference Semifinals, which the Celtics won 115-105. Washington hasn't won a playoff series since then, and the 6-foot-11-inch, 240-pounder's presence in its lineup would be a constant reminder of that, despite its need at center. The Wizards were projected to clear about $100 million in cap space next summer before this trade, and now they add this year's TPE to that financial bounty. In an era where most contenders are under cap stress, Washington will be in a position to outbid other squads for free agents and add expensive contracts through trades as it continues to draft young talent. The team must add center depth and solve its roster logjam to help its young core develop next season, but that should come with later moves. Advertisement Trade grade: B Related: Spurs add Victor Wembanyama backup in trade with Wizards Related: Wizards trade grade for Cam Whitmore deal
Yahoo
12-07-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Why Kelly Olynyk trade represents next step for Spurs
The post Why Kelly Olynyk trade represents next step for Spurs appeared first on ClutchPoints. In trading for Kelly Olynyk, the San Antonio Spurs did more than add another quality big man to support superstar Victor Wembanyama. They're continuing a shift – and perhaps sending a signal to the NBA during free agency – toward rounding out a roster that intends to compete. Advertisement Obvious as that may seem, the moves the Spurs have made over the previous two seasons focused on developing youth. This off-season signals a different path. Youth has dominated the Spurs roster last several years The Spurs dealt Malaki Branham and Blake Wesley, as well as the least favorable 2026 second-round pick of Dallas, Oklahoma City, and Philadelphia, to acquire Olynyk. Along with Jeremy Sochan, both Branham and Wesley were all first-round picks of the Silver and Black in 2022. While Branham has contributed slightly more than Wesley since then, neither has made his way into the Spurs rotation consistently. Through their first three seasons in the NBA, the organization worked to develop their games, the last two years with Victor Wembanyama at the center of the franchise. Since drafting Wemby in 2023, the Spurs have featured rosters that have ranked among the youngest and second-youngest in the NBA. Players like Tre Jones, Sidy Cissoko, Dominick Barlow, Charles Bassey, Harrison Ingram, and Riley Minix, among others, have been added – some through two-way contracts – to fill out the fringes of the depth. Advertisement When the Spurs added veterans Chris Paul and Harrison Barnes last summer, they were the only players older than 25 on the team at the start of the season. Jerome Miron-Imagn Images What the Spurs are getting in Kelly Olynyk Since the start of last season, GM Brian Wright and company have traded for 27-year-old De'Aaron Fox. They started this off-season by adding 29-year-old center Luke Kornet. Then comes the deal with the Washington Wizards for the 34-year-old Olynyk. Already part of a previous trade this offseason, the veteran big man didn't play for Washington, but instead suited up for the New Orleans Pelicans last season. Advertisement At 6-foot-11, 240 pounds, Olynyk appeared in 44 games last season with the Toronto Raptors and Pelicans. He averaged 8.7 points, 4.7 rebounds, and 2.9 assists in 20.2 minutes while shooting 50% from the floor and 41.8% from 3-point range. The 12-year veteran holds career averages of 10.2 points, 5.2 rebounds, and 2.5 assists across 800 games with the Boston Celtics, Miami Heat, Houston Rockets, Detroit Pistons, and Utah Jazz as well. The Dallas Mavericks initially selected Olynyk with the 13th overall pick in the 2013 NBA Draft following three seasons at Gonzaga. The Spurs struggled to shoot around Wembanyama last season. For his career, Olynyk has shot 48.6% from the field, 37.1% from beyond the arc, and 79.6% from the foul line. The Toronto native represented Team Canada on the international stage, helping secure the country's first FIBA World Cup medal with a bronze at the 2023 tournament to go along with a bronze medal in the 2015 FIBA AmeriCup. Along with Barnes, Fox, and Kornet, Olynyk also brings the Spurs postseason experience. He has appeared in 48 playoff games with Boston (2014-17) and Miami (2017-20), averaging 7.9 points and 3.5 rebounds in 17.4 minutes per game. Advertisement The Spurs hope he adds to those totals in what will be Wembanyama's third season, marking the phenom's first taste of the playoffs. Related: Dylan Harper makes Manu Ginobili admission as he starts NBA, Spurs journey Related: Wizards trade grade for Kelly Olynyk deal with Spurs
Yahoo
09-07-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Jeremy Sochan Delivers Verdict on Blockbuster Spurs Trade
Jeremy Sochan Delivers Verdict on Blockbuster Spurs Trade originally appeared on Athlon Sports. On Tuesday, the San Antonio Spurs agreed to a trade with the Washington Wizards, sending Blake Wesley, Malaki Branham, and a future second-round pick away in exchange for Kelly Olynyk. Advertisement Branham and Wesley, since being drafted in 2022, have shown some promise but were simply unable to crack the rotation, and recent additions of Dylan Harper and De'Aaron Fox didn't help their cause. With Olynyk, the Spurs get a floor-spacing big who can play alongside both Victor Wembanyama and Luke Kornet. Fans were thrilled with the deal as it both opens up a roster spot and rounds out the depth chart, although fellow 2022 draft pick Jeremy Sochan did not seem thrilled, as he posted his reaction on social media in the hours after the trade was announced. While Sochan may not have been pleased, the fact of the matter is that this trade makes the Spurs better. Not only did San Antonio need a third big for injury insurance, but Olynyk has long been one of the best shooting centers in the NBA, allowing the Spurs versatile lineups not previously possible. Advertisement If the Spurs decide not to keep Olynyk, he is on an expring contract that can easily be traded before the deadline for a young player, and his salary and Harrison Barnes or Keldon Johnson could easily be packaged in a bigger deal for a true star to put the Spurs over the hump. The Spurs will start the season with a true three-center rotation, giving them plenty of insurance in case Wembanyama misses time with injury or illness again. Check out the Inside the Spurs home page for more news, analysis, and must-read articles. Related: Dylan Harper's Addition to Spurs Might Infuriate Victor Wembanyama Critics Related: San Antonio Spurs Linked to Unsigned Nine-Time All-Star This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jul 9, 2025, where it first appeared.
