Miami Heat: 3 goals for Kelly Olynyk’s 2019-20 season

Increase His Rebounding

There were several different ways to articulate this particular goal, but for lack of better terms, “increase” was the safe option. This was a crucial thought though because if Olynyk could just get back to where he was in the 17-18 season, that would be more than swell.

During last season, Olynyk averaged a total of 4.7 rebounds per game. In the season prior, the 17-18 season, he averaged a full rebound higher with a career-high 5.7 boards per contest. Considering the fact that he only played a half minute less per game in this past season than he did in the season prior along with the fact that he should see an uptick in minutes, even if only slightly with the arrival of Meyers Leonard, he should have a good opportunity to get back to that number.

While he could even surpass those 5.7 rebounds per game with another four to five minutes per game, to simply match that would be a great help. While Bam Adebayo is a pretty good rebounder, 7.3 boards across 23.3 minutes per game last season, Meyers Leonard is not.

Leonard is a career 3.7 rebound per game guy, who averaged 3.8 rebounds per contest during last season with the Portland Trail Blazers. While you would like your true 7-footers to be more effective in cleaning the glass, Leonard does offer production in other areas that help to offset this lack of boarding, but you still need someone to collect them.

With the as mentioned dismissal of Hassan Whiteside, Olynyk will be counted on to do more in the rebounding area for this Miami Heat team. That is why getting his rebounding back up is his third goal for next season.

With Hassan Whiteside gone, I fully expect Olynyk to get more opportunity next season, even if only a little more. These are the things he should look to accomplish to make the most of that opportunity.