San Antonio starts Victor Wembanyama at center, but after the 21-year-old superstar, the talent level dropped off sharply last season.
No longer. Days after landing Luke Kornet, the Spurs have added a stretch five in Kelly Olynyk in a trade with the Wizards, sending Malaki Branham, Blake Wesley and a 2026 second-round pick to Washington, a story broken by Shams Charania of ESPN and confirmed by multiple other reports.
Olynyk (and Kornet) can play with Wembanyama in certain lineups and also hold down the fort when Wembanyama is on the bench. Olynyk, 34, remains a quality stretch big who averaged 8.7 points and 4.7 rebounds a game last season, splitting time between Toronto and New Orleans, although he played in just 44 games due to injury. Most importantly, he shot 41.8% from 3 and was a better defender for the Pelicans than his reputation would suggest. (Olynyk was traded two days ago from the Pelicans to the Wizards as part of the three-team Jordan Poole trade.)
The Wizards get two former first-round picks at guard in Branham and Wesley who did not develop, or at least as fast as hoped, and with Stephon Castle and Dylan Harper drafted in front of them, there was not going to be a lot of daylight for them to grow in San Antonio. Things may not be a whole lot better in Washington — another team stacked with guards, including veterans like Marcus Smart and CJ McCollum — but it is a fresh start. Additionally, the Wizards save approximately $5 million (a figure that could increase depending on exactly how the trade is structured).
The Spurs are now about $12.5 million below the luxury tax line with at least two roster spots still to fill, something they can easily do while staying out of the tax. The Wizards are running into the opposite roster problem, they now have 15 guaranteed contracts on the books and that’s not counting Justin Champagnie or Anthony Gill, whom are expected to re-sign with the team. That could be a bad sign for Branham and Wesley.
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