The Washington Wizards have agreed to offload Kelly Olynyk in a deal with the San Antonio Spurs just two weeks after landing him in a blockbuster trade with the New Orleans Pelicans centered around CJ McCollum and Jordan Poole.
Washington flipped Olynyk's $13.4 million contract to the Spurs in exchange for Malaki Branham, Blake Wesley and 2026 second-round pick.
Originally after acquiring Olynyk as part of the McCollum deal, it seemed like there could be a realistic chance that the Gonzaga product entered the season with the Wizards solely based off the fact that Washington seemed to be pivoting to a roster filled with a healthy mixture of young prospects and seasoned veterans.
Olynyk's ability as a stretch big seemed like a favorable veteran to mentor Alex Sarr in the frontcourt and with the lack of reports pointing at the center as a buyout candidate, it seemed like he could stick around in Washington at least until the season began.
However, after immediately flipping the 34-year-old to San Antonio in exchange for two 22-year-old guards in Branham and Wesley.
Moving Olynyk is one thing, but considering who the veteran was moved for in the deal, it makes the intentions of Wizards general manager Will Dawkins and the front office crystal clear.
The Wizards are comfortable swinging on potential
Less than five days after making a move to land Cam Whitmore from the Houston Rockets, the Wizards once again make a move to bring in two former first-round picks.
With the string of recent moves from the Wizards on the trade market after a relatively slow start in terms of free agency, it seems like Washington is focusing themselves on building a roster full of young talent who entered the league with potential hoping at least one or more of their swings hit.
Nonetheless, there seems to be less of a focus on making a bid for a play-in spot after many began to look at the revamped Wizards roster as a sleeper in the Eastern Conference to make a decent run potentially with their new-look depth chart that was filled with young talent and vets.
Does this mean CJ McCollum or Khris Middleton are out the door anytime soon? Unlikely, but largely due to their steep contracts instead of a lack of interest in moving them from the Wizards side.
However, names like Marcus Smart, Corey Kispert and Richaun Holmes could be next in line to be moved.