Report: Jazz’s Kelly Olynyk Has Rumored Trade Interest From Clippers

More chatter continues to surround the Utah Jazz and veteran big man Kelly Olynyk. Despite the Jazz rattling off their recent six-game win streak to kick off 2024, it looks like the front office will not be sitting on their hands ahead of the February 8th trade deadline.

According to a segment from Zach Lowe on The Lowe Post, the Los Angeles Clippers stick out as a team that could generate interest for Olynyk in the coming weeks:

"Here’s the point that I’ve reached with them. The Mike Conley trade last year was a death blow to them and they knew it, they were not surprised that would be the case. I don’t know what role player would have a similar effect on their team. Maybe it’s Kelly Olynyk who’s got interest with the Clippers... and Olynyk, he’s expiring and has value, can you trade him and it’s not crippling to your second unit..."

The Clippers are a team that could benefit immensely from the addition of Olynyk. The team’s starting center, Ivica Zubac, was recently announced to miss some time with a calf injury. While injuries are never ideal, it comes at a time when Los Angeles can capitalize on the marketplace to bring in a valuable piece to their frontcourt rotation.

Lowe continues to detail the situation surrounding the trade status of Olynyk, describing that while heavy intrigue surrounds him, the price at which Danny Ainge is willing to sell him may be the bigger question:

Danny Ainge is not going to get sentimental about a competitive team, the big picture is still at the front of their mind. Danny Ainge has had many times that he’s been on the phone... and not made the move... Everyone wants Kelly Olynyk. That doesn’t mean they’re going to pay what it costs to get Kelly Olynyk.

Olynyk has been a key contributor off the bench for the Jazz amidst their recent success. During his 40 games this season, he’s averaged 8.0 points, 5.3 rebounds, and 4.5 assists on an elite 55.0/42.9/85.9 clip. His all-around offensive contribution as a scorer and passer could be a complementary fit with many teams around the league. It’s easy to see how Ainge could value him as highly as he does.

The Jazz must be cautious about a deal involving Olynyk, though, as the Mike Conley trade from a season ago can be used as a cautionary tale. Utah went from a team that stayed close in the Play-In battle until the deadline before sending Conley to the Minnesota Timberwolves, effectively seeing their sharp decline in the standings.

If this team wants to stick in the race to compete this year, the tinkering of this roster that has seen immense recent success may have to stay a bit more conservative than expected during this deadline. The tough decision for the front office becomes whether or not an Olynyk deal would have any equivalent impact on the roster as Conley did a year ago. If so, pulling the trigger on a trade may be too risky to afford.

Olynyk has one year left on his existing $12 million deal, set to hit free agency this summer. If Ainge and the rest of the Jazz executives were seeking to retain his services, he could simply remain in Salt Lake City, but if push comes to shove, don’t be shocked to see a move involving the 11-year vet in the coming weeks.

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