The San Antonio Spurs have acquired Kelly Olynyk from the Washington Wizards in exchange for Malaki Branham, Blake Wesley and a 2026 second-round draft pick. Draft picks will be the most disadvantaged among the Dallas Mavericks, Philadelphia 76ers and Oklahoma City Thunder.
ESPN’s Shams Charania first reported.
Olynyk offers the Spurs a solid third-string veteran big shot option. He can still generate offensive value with space flooring and ability to pass, but over the past few years, his defense has gone further.
He spent last season with the Toronto Raptors and the New Orleans Pelicans.
Luke Kornet was signed by the Spurs to become a free agent and will be the main backup.
It’s another move for the Wizards, and it’s a flight for young players who don’t have many opportunities. Cam Whitmore, who recently took it from a deal with the Houston Rockets, should see a surge in game time.
Both Branham and Wesley are only 22 years old.
Addition of Spurs Coast and Olynyk
After the reasons already listed above, Olynyk meets the bill, i.e. having another body and mind that knows what the playoffs need. The Canadians competed in meaningful playoff games and Olympics, including last summer’s match against Victor Wembanyama. This will provide a good service to a young team.
Now, San Antonio players will look for senior leadership, now featuring De’aaron Fox, Harrison Barnes and Olynyk. Chris Paul’s departure certainly left a hole in this regard. In addition to the players, former head coach Gregg Popovich’s move from off-field to the front desk was also a loss.
Looking at the Spurs’ rotation, it didn’t have three-pointers. This is a potential weakness that Olynyk may help address. Of course, he can only help alleviate the limited time of his game.
The 34-year-old also offers some options for the Spurs as he can go alongside Wembanyama and complements the Frenchman’s skills well.
San Antonio gave up on players who would not consider rotation. Even without playing time, it gains a player who can be a meaningful contributor.
Level: b
Wizards have a clearer sense of direction
Dare I say the wizards are starting to have some conspiracy? This has been a rudderless franchise for years, and their young players offer little room for upwards.
Looking at the roster now, Tre Johnson and Alex Sarr may be legitimate barriers to establishment, at least having young players would at least bring reasonable curiosity.
Will Riley is another player selected in the first round of this year’s draft. Bub Carrington and Kyshawn George will seek to build a solid rookie campaign. As mentioned earlier, Whitmore may thrive with consistent game time in new environments.
Bilal Coulibaly offers some thrills, but his 2024-25 season is derailed by injury. Branham and Wesley were the 20th and 25th picks in the 2022 NBA Draft, respectively.
The Wizards currently have enough veterans in Khris Middleton, Marcus Smart and CJ McCollum. Olynik should have been left. They took wise moves to take him away from works that might have long-term potential.
Level: B+
