With the Brooklyn Nets trading Dennis Schroder to the Golden State Warriors and now Dorian Finney-Smith to the Los Angeles Lakers, it appears like a buyers market ahead of the February 6 deadline.
While some expected Schroder and Finney-Smith to return first-round draft capital, the Nets were only able to garner multiple second-round picks for the veteran pair. That could significantly reshape the market for a number of other available players, as outlined by NBA insider Marc Stein on Sunday.
There's a host of players who could also be acquired for second-round picks according to Stein, including Jonas Valancuinas, Malcolm Brogdon, Kelly Olynyk, Bruce Brown and Jordan Clarkson.
Kelly Olynyk is displaying what the Warriors need
Of those name, Kelly Olynyk should definitely be the most intriguing from a Warrior perspective. The 31-year-old missed the first 23 games of the Toronto Raptors season due to injury, but has since returned over the last nine which could be pivotal to a potential trade in the coming weeks.
While Trayce Jackson-Davis has returned to the starting lineup and impressed over recent games, there's a widely held view among fans that Golden State need a shooting center to complement their current roster.
That need feels even more crucial with Jonathan Kuminga expected to continue playing 30+ minutes off the bench, with no stretch big forcing Draymond Green to play a considerable amount of time as a small-ball center.
Nikola Vucevic has been doing the rounds on social media as a potential option, but Olynyk could be a cheaper alternative who has greater playoff experience. The 6'11" big man is already showcasing the shooting ability Golden State could do with, having gone 9-of-20 (45%) from 3-point range in 150 minutes since return.
It's hard to evaluate Olynyk's impact given the current state of the Raptors, but this is someone who's been a consistent 20-22-minute rotation player throughout his career. Not only is Olynyk a career 37% 3-point shooter, he's also a savvy passer who could fit within Steve Kerr's system.
The Warriors reportedly held interest in Olynk prior to last year's deadline, before he was moved to the Raptors and soon after signed a two-year, $26.3 million extension. The $12.8 million salary for this season is still a little tricky, with Golden State likely needing to give up any two of Gary Payton II, Kevon Looney, Kyle Anderson or Buddy Hield (plus second-round picks) to acquire the 12-year veteran.