Former Gonzaga star Kelly Olynyk traded to Toronto Raptors
The Utah Jazz traded Kelly Olynyk and Ochai Agbaji to the Toronto Raptors on Thursday in exchange for Otto Porter Jr., Kira Lewis Jr. and a 2024 first-round pick.
Olynyk, who was born in Toronto and attended South Kamloops Secondary School in British Columbia nearly 2,500 miles west of where the Raptors play, will suit up for his sixth NBA team in his 11-year career.
The former Gonzaga standout averaged 8.1 points, 5.1 rebounds and a career-best 4.4 assists in 50 games with the Jazz, including eight starts. Olynyk is also putting up career-highs from the field, as he shoots 56.2% overall and 42.9% on 3-point attempts. The 32-year-old will be a free agent this offseason.
Olynyk helped the Jazz reach .500 and 10th in the Western Conference standings, while the Raptors sit four games behind the Atlanta Hawks for the final play-in tournament spot in the East. Toronto needed more depth in the frontcourt after it sent Pascal Siakam to the Indiana Pacers last month. Utah, meanwhile, cashed in on Olynyk's trade value with a first-round pick a day after acquiring a second-round pick from the Detroit Pistons.
Olynyk returns to Canada months after helping the men's senior national team qualify for the 2024 Olympic Games with a third-place finish at the FIBA World Cup. The 6-foot-11 stretch big averaged 10.9 points, 4.6 rebounds and 2.9 assists in eight games. He put up 11 points to help Canada defeat Team USA, 127-118, in the bronze medal game.
