Spurs were ready to move on from Kelly Olynyk before the trade was even finalized

The San Antonio Spurs traded Malaki Branham, Blake Wesley, and a 2026 second-round draft pick that just turned into Malique Lewis to the Washington Wizards for Kelly Olynyk last summer. It was time to move from two failed draft picks. The Spurs wanted a stretch five option on their bench, but the franchise shopped Olynyk’s expiring salary at the deadline before the deal to acquire him was even finalized.

Things did not go to plan for the veteran big man in San Antonio. He played a career-low 8.6 minutes per game and only appeared in 42 contests, which was the second-lowest of his 13 NBA seasons. He was mostly out of the rotation and was limited to mop-up duties in the playoffs. Fans know the Spurs wanted to move on, but they couldn’t find the right deal.

The Wizards traded up to the 46th pick on draft night and walked away with Felix Okpara. They gave up picks 51 and 60 to the Magic, who sold the final selection to the Bucks. Washington waived Wesley just days after acquiring him and traded Branham at the deadline. They just wanted off Olynyk’s contract and were happy to get a draft pick in the return.

Kelly Olynyk trade was a problem for the Spurs

San Antonio dumped two young players and a draft pick to get Olynyk. He was always going to be a third-string big man. Olynyk made an impact as a veteran mentor. The Spurs unexpectedly reached the NBA Finals, but exploring the market signaled they would have liked to have a better option. They were ready to move on, but couldn’t find the right trade.

Here is a look at the full details for the 2025 offseason deal that brought Olynyk to San Antonio.

Spurs acquired: Kelly Olynyk
Wizards received: Malaki Branham, Blake Wesley, and Malique Lewis

Washington trading up doesn’t change how this deal looks for San Antonio. Okpara is a big man with upside, but he is not expected to be a game-changer. The Wizards wanted to dump Olynyk’s contract and were happy to get positive value in return.

It is never good when the franchise is ready to move on from the player and still owe assets for acquiring him. This trade was a miss by the Spurs. They needed to clear roster space and did so at a minimal cost, but Olynyk never fit. Getting a big man option capable of playing a few minutes in the playoffs would have been massive, especially as Luke Kornet struggled in the later rounds.

The San Antonio Spurs were ready to move on from Kelly Olynyk at the deadline, but the trade to acquire him was just finalized. This was a rare miss by the organization.

Expect Olynyk to depart in free agency as the Spurs look to develop their rookie big men into replacements. Do not be surprised to see San Antonio add another veteran to give time to the youngsters. It won’t be Olynyk, but another experienced player would help the young talent grow and could make an impact off the bench. The Spurs should be looking to create that win-win this summer, so stay tuned.

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