Former Gonzaga standout Kelly Olynyk traded to New Orleans Pelicans

Olynyk set to join seventh team of his NBA career

The Toronto Raptors traded Kelly Olynyk to the New Orleans Pelicans as part of a deal to acquire Brandon Ingram | Brett Davis-Imagn Images

The Toronto Raptors have moved Kelly Olynyk to the New Orleans Pelicans as part of a trade package to acquire one-time NBA All-Star Brandon Ingram.

Olynyk was dealt to the Pelicans along with Bruce Brown, a first-round pick and one second-round pick, according to ESPN's Shams Charania. In return the Raptors received Ingram, the 27-year-old forward who's entering the last year of his five-year, $158 million contract he signed with the Pelicans in 2020-21.

Olynyk, who signed a two-year deal with Toronto last March, is set to join the seventh team of his prolonged NBA career after putting up 7.0 points, 3.6 rebounds and 2.3 assists in 15.6 minutes per game across 23 appearances with the Raptors. The former Gonzaga standout is shooting 52.3% from the field, 47.4% from 3-point range and 78.0% from the free-throw line this season. Olynyk was inactive for the first 23 games of the season due to a back injury and missed a few games recently because of a calf injury.

When healthy, Olynyk provided a spark as Toronto's versatile big man off the bench. With the Pelicans trading Daniel Theis to the Oklahoma City Thunder, there's a chance Olynyk has an opportunity to do more of the same with his new team as the backup center.

Olynyk, 33, was traded from the Utah Jazz to the Raptors nearly a year ago to the day on Feb. 8, 2024. The 13th overall pick in the 2023 NBA Draft, Olynyk has also suited up for the Houston Rockets, Miami Heat and Boston Celtics during his 12.5 seasons in the association.

Olynyk is the second former Gonzaga standout to be included in a significant trade involving an NBA All-Star this week, as Zach Collins was traded from the San Antonio Spurs to the Chicago Bulls as part of the Zach Lavine-De'Aaron Fox deal on Sunday.

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