TORONTO — Amid all the losing, let’s try not to lose sight of how cool it is that Kelly Olynyk is a member of the Toronto Raptors. This is a player whose mother was on the franchise’s original stats crew. It’s neat when any Canadian comes to the Raptors. It didn’t happen for the first time in the regular season until 2011-12, the Raptors’ 17th season — but this one is extra special.
When asked why he didn’t wait to re-sign with the Raptors until the offseason, when he would have been eligible to sign a longer contract than the two-year extension he signed Monday, Olynyk gave a hokey answer that also sounded truthful.
“They traded for me. They wanted me here,” Olynyk said Tuesday morning, hours before his team lost 139-98 to the New Orleans Pelicans. “Just to reciprocate that love and show that I do want to be here, too — I’ve wanted to be here since I was four years old.”
Sure, his representatives probably determined this was approximately the best deal he could get. Sure, having his deal done now takes away a potential complication regarding playing for Canada at the Olympics in Paris, which is his plan. He will be 33 by the time free agency hits, and not many teams are lining up to give deals that last three or four years to reserves at that stage of their careers. Still, Olynyk could have tried to use that added leverage. He did not.
In total, the Raptors will pay their two centres, Jakob Poeltl and Olynyk, about $32.3 million next year and $32.9 million in 2025-26. That might sound like a lot for an average starter and a solid backup fairly deep into their careers for a developing team. But when you consider that Portland’s Deandre Ayton will make more than that over those two seasons, and he is also on a young team, it is perhaps fine from the Raptors’ perspective. (Or maybe comparing contracts to a contract that looks like a bad one is faulty.)
What is interesting, though, is how different Poeltl and Olynyk are. Other than being crafty passers, they are divergent players. Poeltl sets screens, dives to the paint and is a solid rim protector. Olynyk generally pops out to the perimeter after setting screens, likes to put the ball on the floor and does not provide much resistance at the rim. Opponents shoot six percentage points worse when Poeltl is defending a shooter within six feet compared to Olynyk.
“If you have very dynamic guards, probably you need a five man who’s gonna be a really good roller, rim protector, above-the-rim finisher,” Raptors head coach Darko Rajaković said. “If you have a second-unit guy — I think the best second units are the units that are really moving the ball and playing off of each other and playing with a high pace. … Obviously, you want everything in the player, but those are unicorns and very rare to find.”
Sure, you would rather the Raptors’ centres be a little younger from a team-building perspective. Then again, having Poeltl and Olynyk under contract means the Raptors don’t have to worry about the position for the next two years, and also they don’t have to think about devoting more money or draft capital to the position. They can instead focus their efforts and resources on getting bigger on the wing.
You can argue about how the Raptors acquired Poeltl and Olynyk, trading a first-round pick to get them before having to re-sign them. We will see how Olynyk holds up as he enters the home stretch of his career. After a rough start to the season, though, Poeltl has been very good lately. Since Jan. 1, the Raptors have outscored their opponents by 3.0 points per 100, impressive considering the Raptors have an overall rating of minus-5.3 over the same stretch. (Poeltl has missed 12 games in that time, including Tuesday with an injury to his pinky finger. It was originally called a dislocation, but he saw a specialist on Tuesday, per Rajaković.)
You can see the basic idea, though: Poeltl is around so the young players in the core — Scottie Barnes, especially — do not have to overextend themselves defensively. Olynyk is in Toronto, so keep things together offensively when there is less scoring talent on the floor.
“It’s nice to re-plant some roots, and really enjoy being home and helping this franchise be able to get back where it’s been,” Olynyk said.
It’s a pretty neat idea, at least.
Notes
• Without Barnes and Poeltl, the Raptors have zero chance defensively against any good offensive team. They started the second quarter against the Pelicans with a lineup of D.J. Carton, Gradey Dick, Jordan Nwora, RJ Barrett and Jontay Porter. New Orleans shot approximately 35 wide-open corner 3s, out of 51 total attempts. It was hard to be too critical. They were overmatched in every way.
Ingram with the fancy handle and throwdown 👀
Pelicans-Raptors | Live on the NBA
📲 https://t.co/jt6Fk85nzk pic.twitter.com/MeCPVd9R3w— NBA (@NBA) March 6, 2024
For what it is worth, Rajaković did not rule Barnes out for the season after the All-Star had surgery on a broken bone in his left hand on Monday. It would be surprising if he returned, though.
• With 10 3-pointers, Trey Murphy III set a record for most 3s in a game against the Raptors. This is why you name your son Trey and not Deuce. Apologies to the McBrides. The Pelicans’ 24 makes from deep were also the most the Raptors have ever allowed.
• Dick’s 12-game streak with at least one made 3-pointer ended after an 0-for-5 night. He had a rough evening. He had plenty of company.
• Ochai Agbaji left the game in the third quarter with knee soreness. Agbaji is one of the Raptors’ more useful defenders who is — well, was — still healthy.
• When Agbaji went out, Javon Freeman-Liberty, whom the Raptors converted to a standard contract, entered the game in meaningful-adjacent minutes for the first time this year. The Raptors don’t see him as a point guard, which is why Carton has had more looks than Freeman-Liberty. Anyway, the combo guard scored 13 points and was on the floor in the third quarter for one of the Raptors’ two decent spurts of the evening.
• I must point out that after getting fouled in transition in the second quarter, Zion Williamson walked over to the Raptors’ bench and shook former teammate Garrett Temple’s hand. This game wasn’t super competitive. Temple was apparently hollering at Pelicans shooters when they were in front of the Raptors bench in the first half. It didn’t work.
• Look at Olynyk and Barrett, caring deeply about Canadian content regulations.
The Canadian connection 🤝 pic.twitter.com/FSSjiUV6Mh
— Toronto Raptors (@Raptors) March 6, 2024
• Immanuel Quickley likes going high off the glass, and you get it in theory — it is harder to block a shot up there. It is also harder to make the shot. Quickley has to get a little more comfortable living with some blocks and maybe trying to get the ball to the glass more … quickly.
• Maybe do not turn the ball over twice on inbound passes in the first quarter when playing a more talented team.
(Photo of Kelly Olynyk driving to the basket against Brandon Ingram: Cole Burston / Getty Images)
