The NBA can be an unsettling time for many players – with the prospect of moving teams, moving cities, moving house and so on. But then there is a case like Kelly Olynyk, where the Canadian gets traded to his hometown Toronto Raptors and goes on to sign a two-year extension.
Olynyk’s deadline day emotions were rather different than the typical chaos, with this enticing opportunity to return to Canada and be part of a critical rebuilding phase for the 2019 NBA champions.
Embed from Getty ImagesA Toronto connection
‘It’s really cool to look back on your life and everything you’ve done up til now and how monumental the Raptors have been in my life. My mom was a scorekeeper here. My dad was a coach here for a year. Just being in the driveway pretending you’re a Raptor growing up. To be putting on this Raptors jersey and these shirts and hats now, it’s something you can’t put into words.
‘The support and love that this city, this country, has given to me, it’s been phenomenal through my whole career. Now to come here and give back to them, play in front of them and give your all to this organization is something where I’m really blessed.’
Playing to his strengths
Olynyk is already having an impact, with his outside shooting and playmaking giving the young Raptors a different dimension. His experience is a huge benefit for the likes of rookie Gradey Dick and third-year guard Ochai Agbaji, who was also Olynyk’s team-mate with the Utah Jazz. It is no coincidence that Toronto’s first three-game win streak of the year came just after the trade.
Sticking with the Raptors theme, Kyle Lowry has had a similar homecoming since the trade deadline, joining his hometown Philadelphia 76ers. Like Olynyk, he still has plenty to offer.
With so many moves around the trade deadline focused on contenders adding pieces for the playoff push, the Olynyk deal was a nice reminder that feelgood stories are possible too.
Toronto raptors Stock Photos, Illustrations and Vector Art | Depositphotos