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Miami Heat: Which players are the most valuable trade pieces?

By Brandon Johnson

LOS ANGELES, CA - MARCH 16: Kelly Olynyk #9 and Josh Richardson #0 of the Miami Heat exchange hand shakes after the game against the Los Angeles Lakers on March 16, 2018 at STAPLES Center in Los Angeles, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2018 NBAE (Photo by Andrew D. Bernstein/NBAE via Getty Images)
LOS ANGELES, CA - MARCH 16: Kelly Olynyk #9 and Josh Richardson #0 of the Miami Heat exchange hand shakes after the game against the Los Angeles Lakers on March 16, 2018 at STAPLES Center in Los Angeles, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2018 NBAE (Photo by Andrew D. Bernstein/NBAE via Getty Images) /
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MIAMI, FL – OCTOBER 23: Kelly Olynyk #9 of the Miami Heat slaps hands with Josh Richardson #0 during the game against the Atlanta Hawks at the American Airlines Arena on October 23, 2017 in Miami, Florida. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Rob Foldy/Getty Images)
MIAMI, FL – OCTOBER 23: Kelly Olynyk #9 of the Miami Heat slaps hands with Josh Richardson #0 during the game against the Atlanta Hawks at the American Airlines Arena on October 23, 2017 in Miami, Florida. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Rob Foldy/Getty Images) /

Should the Heat withdraw from Canada?

If Kristaps Porzingis is a unicorn, majestic and fragile as he gallops the length of the court, then Kelly Olynyk is a rhinoceros, sturdy and consistent.

Olynyk is on Miami’s books through 2021, making no more than $12 million each season.

In many ways, he was the team’s rock last season, filling in where starting center Whiteside could not (rather, would not), while playing almost exclusively off the bench.

As a center, Olynyk isn’t the prototypical big man that teams love to build around.

He’s not Rudy Gobert, skying for lobs and rejecting as many shots as his left hand has fingers. Nor is he Karl-Anthony Towns, an offensive powerhouse who effectively goes incognito on defense.

Instead, Olynyk is illustrative of a new type of NBA center that, while not fleet of foot, has multifaceted talents on both sides of the floor. His raw numbers suggest passing is only a limited aspect of his game (2.7 assists per game), but Olynyk repeatedly proved this season that he has an eye for playmaking.

In the high-post, Miami could rely on Olynyk to make the right play, whether that was a nonchalant kick-out to the wing or a backdoor drop-off to a cutter.

With players like Al Horford and Nikola Jokic on the NBA’s global radar, Olynyk could net a nice return from a team looking to build in the vein of the fast-paced Denver Nuggets, or well-rounded Boston Celtics.

Obviously, Miami bought into Olynyk, with a lengthy, four-year deal in 2017.

He and his Toyota Tacoma have grown accustomed to cruising through the glitz and glam of South Beach, becoming a respected part of a team that is trying to regain its foothold in the national spotlight.

Though he has become as sticky in Miami’s rotations as the syrup from his homeland, Olynyk’s future might be better served on a team with greater direction than the Heat.

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