In maybe the surprise of the offseason thus far, the Miami Heat signed former Boston Celtics forward Kelly Olynyk to a lucrative four-year, $50 million deal on Thursday.
The 7-footer will bring a defensive intensity and toughness that embodies the Heat culture, along with his 9.5 PPG career average and ability to space the floor (36.8 percent career shooter from three-point range).
Almost immediately after signing his contract, Olynyk sent out this tweet:
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😎🌴
— Kelly Olynyk (@KellyOlynyk) July 7, 2017
In response, combo guard Josh Richardson virtually welcomed his new teammate with open arms.
— Josh Richardson (@J_Rich1) July 7, 2017
The Heat actually executed a flurry of moves on Thursday, as they also shipped power forward Josh McRoberts and a future second-round pick to the Dallas Mavericks in exchange for A.J. Hammons and some much-needed salary-cap relief.
This move was immediately followed by the re-signing of swingman James Johnson to a four-year, $60 million deal.
After losing out on the Gordon Hayward sweepstakes, it’s clear that the Heat want to continue with their core from last year with a couple added tweaks.
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