Boston Celtics: Danny Ainge acquires his former draft pick, buyout possible

Former Boston Celtics General Manager Danny Ainge acquired his former 2013 lottery pick, Kelly Olynyk, in a trade sending forward Bojan Bogdanovic to the Detroit Pistons for Olynyk and guard Saben Lee per ESPN’s Adrain Wojnarowski.

Olynyk now joins a Utah Jazz squad that is selling off veterans at a rapid rate in order to accelerate a rebuild — one that started when Ainge traded both Rudy Gobert (to the Minnesota Timberwolves) and Donovan Mitchell (to the Cleveland Cavaliers) for a historic haul that includes the rights to 10 future draft picks.

Olynyk has two years left on his contract but only has a full guarantee for the 2022-23 season. His 2023-24 salary includes $3 million guaranteed, but he’ll start having more money guaranteed should he stick on the Jazz (or someone else’s) roster into next July.

The likelihood that Olynyk is bought out is high if Ainge isn’t able to find a way to re-route the Gonzaga product by the NBA trade deadline. Olynyk would be an ideal fill-in for the Boston Celtics at this point in time considering Robert Williams’ impending knee surgery set to keep him out four to six weeks.

The Boston Celtics need stability right now

While Kelly Olynyk could provide stability in a micro sense for the Boston Celtics, giving their depth chart a needed boost in the form of a needed big man body, the organization needs stability on a macro sense right now. Badly.

Cs Head Coach Ime Udoka is facing disciplinary action that, per ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski, includes a year-long for his role in a consensual intimate relationship with a woman who is a member of the franchise’s staff. In his stead, Assistant coach Joe Mazzulla is set to step in for the 2022-23 season on an interim basis.

Mazzulla could become a cult hero with a championship playoff run, but short of that, the team has many questions that need to be answered as Al Horford contemplates retirement and Jaylen Brown weighs whether or not this organization is one he wants to commit to.