Now that the Charlotte Hornets have traded away their two featured centers in Nick Richards and Mark Williams, the franchise could use some reinforcements in the middle.
The Hornets were major sellers ahead of the Feb. 6 NBA trade deadline. Charlotte decided to send Richards to the Phoenix Suns and Williams to the Los Angeles Lakers despite both being an uber-athletic interior presence who could protect the rim and finish with authority inside. The Hornets still have a talented young core led by former All-Star LaMelo Ball, Miles Bridges and Brandon Miller that could use a versatile center to help them build a winning culture in Charlotte.
That’s what Toronto Raptors center Kelly Olynyk could do for the team. Reports say that Olynyk is one of the premier buyout candidates moving forward:
“The same logic applies in both situations: what motivation would the Pelicans have to keep around a competent veteran when they’re in last place in the Western Conference?” CBS Sports’ Jack Maloney wrote.
“The 33-year-old Canadian has bounced around the league in recent years, and has been valued at each stop for his professionalism and experience. There aren’t many big men who can shoot it as well as Olynyk, who is making a career-high 44.2% of his 3-point attempts this season. His ability to stretch the floor would be valuable to many teams.”
Olynyk would be a perfect complement to Ball in the pick-and-roll. His ability to space the floor off the catch or the bounce would help the Hornets shift opposing defenses and find more quality open looks through his sound playmaking abilities.
The Gonzaga product’s 2.3 assists and 0.3 blocks per game do not testify to his skills as a passer and defender. He can also guard multiple positions and move his feet well on the perimeter. Though he’s advancing in age, his fundamentals and intangibles would work for the Hornets’ young team. If bought out, he’d be a great cost-effective option for them to entertain, as they only have Jusuf Nurkic as their lone center at the present.
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