Olynyk: Howard loss is ‘massive’ for Heat

COOPER CITY — The Miami Heat have yet to make a move on the personnel market this offseason, but big man Kelly Olynyk already feels the team has suffered “a massive loss.”

That was the 7-footer’s perspective when asked Thursday about assistant coach Juwan Howard’s recent decision to leave the Heat to become coach at Michigan.

“It’s a massive loss, not only as a coach but as a person, a mentor to a lot of guys,” Olynyk said during an appearance at the Heat’s youth camp at Cooper City High School. “[We’ll miss] his experience, his steady head, his willingness to want everybody to be better, his never-stop attitude.

Howard returned to the school he helped lead to dual NCAA championship game appearances in 1992 and ’93 as part of the Wolverines’ Fab Five freshman class.

“It’s [an] unbelievable situation for him to be able to go back there 25 years later as a head coach,” Olynyk said. “That’s something you only hear of in books and movies.

“I don’t blame him at all. I’m super excited for him and his opportunities. That’s an opportunity you can’t pass up.

Former Heat big man

Malik Allen is expected to replace Howard on Erik

Spoelstra’s coaching staff. “I figured he would have the opportunity if he wanted,” Olynyk said of Howard moving on to bigger and better things. “I didn’t really talk to him a lot about his future endeavors, what he wanted to do in life. I knew he could if he wanted to. He is that capable, has those abilities.

“Obviously it’s what he wants to do, so kudos to him and his ability to go out and get that.”

Court time

Olynyk said Bam Adebayo and Derrick Jones Jr. have been among the regulars during offseason workouts at AmericanAirlines Arena, with former two-way players Duncan

Robinson and Yante Maten particularly busy as they prepare for summer league.

“They’re working hard,” Olynyk said. “Those summer-league guys have been basically game-ready right now. They’ve gone through their own training camp, basically. They’re going to tune up with another training camp when they head off to Sacramento after the draft.

“It will be interesting to see them once summer league kicks off.”

Olynyk said he hopes to visit with the Heat’s summer entry when it plays in Sacramento and Las Vegas.

Zag factor

Among those the Heat have looked at with their No. 13 pick in advance of next week’s NBA draft are Olynyk’s fellow Gonzaga products Rui Hachimura and Brandon Clarke, with the Zags’ Zach Norvell Jr. also expected to be selected.

“It’s awesome everything Coach [Mark] Few, the whole staff, has done up there to continually turn out quality prospects and quality teams,” Olynyk said. “[It] is almost unfathomable to do it at the steady rate, over and over and over again.

“So it’s pretty cool to see and it’s exciting to see some more NBA players from Gonzaga join us up here and play with the big boys.”

Born in Toronto, Olynyk said he is appreciative of the Toronto Raptors’ playoff run.

“It’s special,” he said. “It’s special for the city. And being the only team in Canada, it’s special for the whole country now.

“The Toronto Raptors are the reason a lot of Canada is playing basketball in the first place and aspiring to do things and be on this stage. It’s awesome seeing that.”