South Florida Sun-Sentinel (Sunday)
Olynyk: ‘Options are always good’
Heat big man has a player option for 2020-21 worth $12.2 million
Kelly Olynyk didn’t plan it this way, the ability to selfinsure when the Miami Heat head to Disney World next week to complete the NBA season in quarantine.
But with the coronavirus pandemic changing everything, holding a player option for 2020-21 in some ways leaves the outsideshooting big man with the best of all worlds.
If he quite literally takes a misstep during the competition at the Wide World of Sports complex, there is the fallback of his $12.2 million Heat salary option for next season. And if he thrives, there are the possibilities of something bigger in free agency, with an Oct. 17 optout deadline.
“When this all happened,” he said Friday on a video conference call about the league shutting down March 11, “it’s just like, ‘What else is going to happen?’ You don’t even know what’s going on here, if the NBA is even going to come back. But obviously that’s all pushed back.
“I haven’t really thought
Heat big man Kelly Olynyk has the option to take the money and not run to free agency in the offseason.
about it as of yet. Obviously, we’ll see what happens down in Orlando. You still have that option. Options are always good. Anytime you have an option in anything in life, you have multiple choices and you can make the decision that best fits yourself.”
While free-agency money is expected to be tight around the league this offseason, in light of revenues lost because of the shutdown and the decision to complete the season in the absence of fans, the role going forward for the 29-year-old could be a factor, as well.
Even with center Meyers
Leonard out with a severe ankle injury, the 6-foot-11 Olynyk played 16 or fewer minutes in 10 of the Heat’s 12 games prior to the shutdown. Now, Leonard is expected to be back in the rotation, possibly even in the starting lineup, after missing the 16 games before the stoppage.
It is possible Olynyk winds up as no more than an 11th man during the restart, behind Leonard, Bam Adebayo, Jimmy Butler, Duncan Robinson, Kendrick Nunn, Tyler Herro, Goran Dragic, Andre Iguodala, Jae Crowder and Derrick Jones Jr.
Then there is the matter of future earnings, lifestyle and the best fit for his game.
“I don’t think it’s any one thing that influences a decision,” Olynyk said. “I think it’s all of those accumulated, that allows you to make the decision that you see best fit. Obviously, money plays a role. But obviously opportunity plays a role. Obviously quality of life plays a huge role, whether it’s where you’re playing, or who you’re playing with, or for, or beside, location, proximity.
“There’s so many things that go into it. I think you can’t peg it down to just one thing. That’s really what it’s all about, is having that option, and the pros and cons of whether you take it [the option year] or don’t take it, what’s best for you.”
Or perhaps there’s Plan C, with Olynyk spending the shutdown as host of the Instagram series Kellz’ Kitchen, offering mealpreparation tips on his video series.
So give it all up to pursue a culinary career?
“Not yet,” he said with a laugh. “But I’m trying to pave that into post-career. But we’ll see what happens. There’s been player coaches; maybe I’ll be like a player chef — get there a couple hours early, make the pregame meal, and then go warm up.”
Inter Miami CF conducted its first practice Friday since arriving at the Swan and Dolphin Hotel near Orlando on Wednesday.