The Kelly Olynyk era in Washington officially only lasted a few days, it seems, as Shams Charania reports that the Wizards are dealing Olynyk to the San Antonio Spurs for Malaki Branham, Blake Wesley, and a 2026 second-round pick (the least favorable of Dallas, Philadelphia, and Oklahoma City).
Olynyk was acquired from New Orleans in the three-team deal that also brought C.J. McCollum and Cam Whitmore to Washington for Jordan Poole and Saddiq Bey, but is now headed to his fourth team in the last two calendar years (fifth if you count DC as a stop).
The 33-year-old, who is on an expiring deal, averaged 8.7 points and 4.7 rebounds last year with the Pelicans and Raptors, shooting 42 percent from beyond the arc, and will now further bolster a Spurs frontcourt that added center Luke Kornet in free agency alongside former No. 1 pick Victor Wembanyama.
In return, the Wiz get a pair of guards in Branham and Wesley, who were both first-round picks in 2022. The former has averaged 8.5 points per game in 188 games over three seasons (starting 61 of those), while the latter has put up 4.3 points in 156 games as a true reserve (only three starts).
Both players are also in the final years of their rookie deals, and collectively, their salary of approximately $9.7 million saves the team about $3.7 million from Olynyk’s $13.445 million hit.
They also get another second-round pick, potentially giving them three guaranteed plus a fourth if their first-round pick is outside the Top 8, and thus conveys to the Knicks (New York would get Washington’s own second-rounder if it does not).