The Warriors are off to a solid start this season with a 12-6 record. However, it hasn’t been smooth sailing for the Golden and Blues. They began the season without Klay Thompson and dealt with minor injury setbacks along the way.
But when De Anthony Melton was ruled out for the season, it might be expensive for the squad in the long run. So, the Warriors are reportedly eyeing Raptors center Kelly Olynyk as a potential replacement.
The Warriors, now third in the West, have hit a rough patch with three straight losses following De Anthony Melton’s season-ending ACL injury on November 12. He will have to undergo surgery to recover.
Since his absence has hit the Warriors hard, they’re now looking at potential trades, with Toronto Raptors center Kelly Olynyk. NBA insider Jake Fischer shared that Olynyk was on the Warriors’ radar last trade deadline and could be a perfect fit for their system.
He said, “I was told from various NBA executives around the league that Kelly Olynyk was someone the Warriors were targeting at last year’s trade deadline. He would fit their system perfectly.”
Is Kelly Olynyk the right replacement for De Anthony Melton?
Kelly Olynyk is an 11-year NBA veteran who’s played for six teams, including the Boston Celtics and Miami Heat. He averages 10.3 points, 5.2 rebounds, and 2.4 assists in 756 games.
While these are solid stats for a team like the Warriors, Olynyk wouldn’t replace De Anthony Melton in the rotation. However, he could certainly provide depth to the frontcourt by serving as a stretch big—a role akin to Dario Saric’s in the previous season.
Wow… Kelly Olynyk is the only player in the #NBA with 55/40/85% shooting splits this season.
— ML Basketball (@_MLBasketball) March 5, 2024
The #Raptors were smart in extending Olynyk.
(H/T Stat Muse) pic.twitter.com/23kDNvDLKg
Meanwhile, if the Warriors decide to trade for Olynyk, they must take into account his previous injury history, which was not favorable.
