Olynyk leaves Celtics, agrees to sign with Heat
MIAMI » Kelly Olynyk with the Miami Heat.
Agent Greg Lawrence confirmed the decision to The Associated Press on Thursday night. ESPN reported it would be a fouryear deal worth in excess of $50 million.
The deal has not been signed, though could be as early as Friday.
A 7-foot center with 3-point range, Olynyk spent his first four NBA seasons with the Boston Celtics and played mostly as a reserve. He averaged 9.5 points in 278 regular-season games shot a career-best 51 percent last season.
Olynyk’s deal means that for the Heat to complete the re-signings of James Johnson and Wayne Ellington — who are both still wanted by Miami — a deal will have to be swung to get rid of some salary and create more cap space. Josh McRoberts, who has played in only 81 games during his three injury-plagued seasons in Miami, would be the most likely candidate for a trade.
McRoberts is due to make just over million next season.
Olynyk had a run-in with Heat center Hassan Whiteside in 2015. Whiteside elbowed Olynyk in the head and was suspended for a game, though tracked down Olynyk’s number and offered an apology. And now they’ll be teammates. “He’s a good guy,” Olynyk said after apology.
The Heat value the corner 3-pointer, as many teams have in this NBA, and Olynyk could be a huge addition on that front. According to the NBA’s stat-tracking page, Olynyk was 18 for 32 this past season on corner 3-pointers — and was also a strong finisher at the rim, connecting on 73 percent of his tries in the restricted area. has agreed
Clippers acquire Gallinari
to sign $6 the DENVER » The Los Angeles Clippers acquired sharp-shooting forward Danilo Gallinari from Denver as part of a three-team trade that also involved Atlanta.
In the swap, Los Angeles sent Jamal Crawford, Diamond Stone, cash considerations and a protected 2018 first-round pick to the Hawks. The Nuggets receive a 2019 second-round pick from Atlanta.
Gallinari joins a Clippers team that recently traded Chris Paul to Houston, but agreed to a five-year deal with Blake Griffin. Los Angeles also has DeAndre Jordan in the frontcourt.
The 28-year-old Gallinari was selected by New York with the sixth overall pick in 2008. He wound up in Denver as part of the blockbuster deal in February 2011 that sent Carmelo Anthony to the Knicks.
A fan favorite, Gallinari averaged 16.2 points and made 535 3-pointers for the Nuggets. He missed the 2013-14 season because of a torn left ACL.
Galloway to Pistons
The Detroit Pistons have signed agent guard Langston Galloway.
Terms were not disclosed, but The Associated Press has previously reported it is a three-year deal.
Detroit is Galloway’s fourth team in four NBA seasons, after stints with New York, New Orleans and Sacramento. The 25-yearold guard averaged 7.9 points in 74 games with the Pelicans and Kings last season.
Source: Mavs, Nowitzki agree on 2-year, $10 million deal
free DALLAS » Dirk Nowitzki has a deal with the Dallas Mavericks that sets him up to join Kobe Bryant as the only players to spend 20 seasons with one NBA franchise.
Nowitzki and the Mavericks have agreed on a two-year, $10 million contract that carries a team option in the second season, a person with knowledge of the deal said Thursday on condition of anonymity because a deal hasn’t been announced.
The agreement is similar to the one the Mavs and Nowitzki reached last year, although for significantly less money. Last year’s contract was for two years and $50 million, and the club declined its option before free agency opened this year.
The 39-year-old Nowitzki is no longer the primary option for the Mavericks, so a $5 million deal is more in line with his role on a roster that has become significantly younger since the start of last season. The $25 million salary from a year ago was as much about Dallas paying Nowitzki for his loyalty, which included taking less money to help acquire free agents through the years.
Spurs sign veteran Rudy Gay
SAN ANTONIO » The San Antonio Spurs have signed veteran forward Rudy Gay.
Gay averaged 18.7 points last season in Sacramento but was limited to 30 games before rupturing his left Achilles tendon in January and having surgery a few days later.