Last week the Detroit Pistons signed free-agent center Kelly Olynyk to a three-year, 37 million dollar deal. Olynyk is going into his 10th season and is the oldest Piston on the roster. There are multiple parts to Olynyk’s game that are going to help improve the Pistons. Here is a breakdown of what Olynyk’s brings to the table.
Three-Point Shooting
Olynyk is a sniper from three-point land. He averaged 34.2% from the three-point line in 2021 and made 126 three point shots. He made the second most three point shots by a center last season.
Olynyk is going to boost the Pistons next season from the three-point arc. Last season, the Pistons ranked 21th in the league in 3-point percentage. Having a big man like Olynyk in today’s NBA is a significant advantage.
What the Pistons can do is abuse Olynyk’s three-point skills by running lots of pick and pops. Guards: Cunningham, Hayes, Jackson, and Lee can all pick and pop with Olynyk to create shot opportunities.
Rebounding
Not only can Olynyk shoot the ball, but he can rebound the ball as well. Last season, he averaged 7.0 rebounds per game and grabbed a total of 489 rebounds. He ranked 18th amongst centers for capturing the most rebounds in the league.
The Pistons need a player who can rebound the ball coming off the bench. Especially noticing in Summer League, the Pistons are getting destroyed down in the paint. He is going to be a critical rebounder for the Pistons next season alongside Isaiah Stewart.
Leadership
With Olynyk being the oldest man on the roster, he will be the leader for the Pistons. The young guys on the roster are going to be looking up to Olynyk.
He is going to play the role of communicating and helping the young players on the roster grow. It’s great to have a guy like him who had experience playing in big playoff moments.
Back in 2020, Olynyk was on the Miami Heat when the team made it all of the way to the Finals. So he has the experience of playing in the biggest games. He can be there for the young guys to stay relaxed in those type of situations.
Olynyk is going to make a significant impact not only by his play on the floor. But his leadership skills are going to be even more impactful to the younger players on the rosters.
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