Leading up to the anticipated NBA trade deadline, the Utah Jazz continue to be surrounded by rumors and apparent interest around the league surrounding their roster. The team currently sits at a 24-25 record approaching February and lands as a prime candidate to make a move, depending on the direction this front office desires to go.
One of the most prominently mentioned names on Utah's roster pinned in trade rumors has been veteran big man Kelly Olynyk. He's stabilized as an efficient shot-maker and facilitator for this Jazz second unit, with many teams seemingly looking to add his size and offensive output.
We just saw the New York Knicks get roped into the Olynyk trade talks with their rumored interest, but it now looks as if another team has entered the conversation.
According to a report from The Athletic, the Houston Rockets are among teams looking for some help in their frontcourt, with Olynyk emerging as a prime candidate to add to their roster:
The Rockets, league sources said, are also exploring the center market, looking to bolster their rim protection. According to those sources, Houston is keeping tabs on Utah’s Kelly Olynyk, Atlanta’s Clint Capela, Chicago’s Andre Drummond and Portland’s Robert Williams III (who has fans throughout the current coaching staff) among others.
During his 2023-24 campaign, Olynyk has averaged a line of 8.0 points, 5.1 rebounds, and 4.3 assists on 56.0/42.5/82.9 splits across the year. Kelly has also spent some time with the Rockets earlier in his career after being dealt from the Miami Heat in a mid-season trade during the 2021 season.
The Rockets were stuck in the middle of an ugly rebuild during Olynyk's short time there, but the franchise has since turned a corner in the past three seasons. Houston now sits at a surprising 22-24 record for 11th in the Western Conference with new head coach Ime Udoka at the helm. An addition of the Jazz big man could effectively breathe some more life into this team's Play-In Tournament hopes.
This Houston frontcourt has seen a massive lift during this season thanks to the progression of Alperen Sengun, but their depth at the center position could benefit from another body. Jeff Green, Jock Landale, and Boban Marjanovic are the lone players sitting below Sengun on the depth chart, so you can see how perfectly Olynyk could fit into this particular rotation.
We stand about a week from the NBA trade deadline, so expect the chatter around the league to continue with full force in the coming days, especially surrounding a team like the Jazz.
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