Can we talk about Olynyk? Is he an elite shooter? Can he be a go-to scorer?

[Snakehead]

it looks like a consensus is building in favor of Kelly. If it is this close then you have to go with the 7 footer that does not have a history of weight and lumbar spine issues. If KO had McHale length arms we would not even be having this discussion, then again if he did he probably would not have the handles he has right now. Who knows.

I would vote to keep KO if it came down to a vote.

I really like Sully but if say the situation would come where we can get Marc Gasol or another legit C, I'd choose Olynyk over Sullinger for sure.  I'd keep both  but I'd bet Sullinger could get more money and a starting gig somewhere else. 

We will see how it plays out.

[Celtics4ever]

His offense is ok, defensively is another matter.   

[slamtheking]

I don't think KO is elite but I do think he needs to shoot more.  would much rather see him putting up 15-18 shots a game than AB. 

he's a very good passer, best ball handler for a big man that I'm seeing in the league right now, has great hands and is really good at finishing around the basket.  What I'm not liking is his D (although to me it seems he's gotten a little better this year), rebounding seem soft (and he doesn't box out as well as he needs to) and he's far too tentative on offense.  looks to pass far more often than he should, especially when he's wide open for a shot.

If he gets more assertive in taking open shots, plays more in the post to vary his game and improves his D, I think he'll be a really good 6th man.  I don't think he'll get to the point where he'd be a better starter than Sully at PF though

[rondohondo]

In the 4th quarter Lebron started guarding KO 3 or 4 times down the stretch, that should tell you what the opposing coach thinks about his offensive ability . Unfortunately KO backed down and just passed the ball when Lebron was guarding him . He did get off an open 3 near the end of the game that could have put us up , not sure if Lebron was guarding him on that play .

[Csfan1984]

I don't know why it always comes down to, "one has to be traded". Wouldn't it make more sense if you had both and drafted or signed a starting true center. Say C's sign Jordan the rotation would be Sully, Jordan or Olynyk, Jordan or Sully, Olynyk.

Three awesome big rotations. The goal should be to keep it together and just use cap next year to get Jordan or Gasol.

Edit: Can probably add Hibbert if he opts out.

[aingeforthree]

Yes on both topics.  He can be an elite shooter (not there yet), and he can be a go-to scorer (not there yet).  He's pretty darn good.  Great pick by Ainge

[Ogaju]

I don't know why it always comes down to, "one has to be traded". Wouldn't it make more sense if you had both and drafted or signed a starting true center. Say C's sign Jordan the rotation would be Sully, Jordan or Olynyk, Jordan or Sully, Olynyk.

Three awesome big rotations. The goal should be to keep it together and just use cap next year to get Jordan or Gasol.

Edit: Can probably add Hibbert if he opts out.

Problem is if they are both starting caliber players then who will agree to come off the bench. You will have a PF controversy.

[LooseCannon]

I don't think KO is elite but I do think he needs to shoot more.  would much rather see him putting up 15-18 shots a game than AB. 

I honestly think it might make more sense for KO to take away shots from Green instead of Bradley.

[fairweatherfan]

If Olynyk's not an elite shooter, I don't know what one is, unless his last 3 months of basketball are an extended fluke.  He's not a go-to guy yet but we should be actively working to make him one.  Imagine if Olynyk took a similar number of shots as Bradley.

[LooseCannon]

I don't know why it always comes down to, "one has to be traded". Wouldn't it make more sense if you had both and drafted or signed a starting true center. Say C's sign Jordan the rotation would be Sully, Jordan or Olynyk, Jordan or Sully, Olynyk.

Three awesome big rotations. The goal should be to keep it together and just use cap next year to get Jordan or Gasol.

It's no different than people saying that either Rondo or Bradley has to go to make room for Smart (which isn't true).

A reasonable concern is that, at some point, Sullinger and Olynyk reach free agency and one or the other would prefer going elsewhere for a guaranteed starting job, but that time is still a few years away, if it happens.

I'd be happy if a year or two from now, the Celtics have a three-guard rotation of Rondo/Bradley/Smart, a three-big rotation of Sullinger/Olynyk/legitimate center, an upgrade on Jeff Green at SF who can function as point forward or a secondary ball-handler beside Rondo, a solid backup SF who can score, and maybe a guy like Evan Turner who can be your third-string guy at three positions.

[Csfan1984]

I don't know why it always comes down to, "one has to be traded". Wouldn't it make more sense if you had both and drafted or signed a starting true center. Say C's sign Jordan the rotation would be Sully, Jordan or Olynyk, Jordan or Sully, Olynyk.

Three awesome big rotations. The goal should be to keep it together and just use cap next year to get Jordan or Gasol.

Edit: Can probably add Hibbert if he opts out.

Problem is if they are both starting caliber players then who will agree to come off the bench. You will have a PF controversy.

Coaches get paid to make that call not the players choice or place. Sure Brad would decide based on match up and hot hand. If he does that there is no controversy.

[TheFlex]

Olynyk is a special scorer but he's a complete liability defensively. Another skill of which I thought he had a clear advantage over Sullinger is now a toss-up for me, that being his passing. Sully has put up some impressive assist numbers this year and is not the defensive liability Olynyk is. And although Olynyk is putting up some solid rebounding numbers this year, much of that can be attributed to Sully I think. Sully takes up a lot of space down low and you can see the impact of that in the rebounding stats of his fellow starters.

I'd say Olynyk is like Rondo in the sense that, if he has the right team around him, he could be devastating and certainly more effective than Sullinger. But how attainable that team is remains undetermined. Right now I'd take Sullinger but Olynyk has higher potential if the chips fell in our (and his) favor.

[LarBrd33]

I don't know why it always comes down to, "one has to be traded". Wouldn't it make more sense if you had both and drafted or signed a starting true center. Say C's sign Jordan the rotation would be Sully, Jordan or Olynyk, Jordan or Sully, Olynyk.

Three awesome big rotations. The goal should be to keep it together and just use cap next year to get Jordan or Gasol.

Edit: Can probably add Hibbert if he opts out.

Because "rotations" are extremely overrated.  Really good players play for 35-40 minutes... often 40+ in the playoffs.  Say you had a 3 big rotation.   Better to have two really good bigs playing 38 minutes a night (with some backup getting 15-20 off the bench) than three good players getting 30 a night.  Say one of them is really exceptional... why limit him to a mere 30 a night?  If you had DeAndre Jordan getting 36 a night, are you going to limit Sully to 30 just so Oly can get 30 off the bench?    Or are you going to let Sully play for 40 minutes... leaving Oly (potentially  his equal) with a mere 20 minutes?   Seems like a waste to do that.   Better to have two really great starters and a mediocre backup than 3 solid players in a rotation.

It's the same problem we'll have with Rondo/Bradley/Smart.   The idea that you can win a title with an average starting lineup and equal talent on the bench is wrong.  You need to have the best 5 starters you can...  bench depth is overrated. 

[Vox_Populi]

I don't know why it always comes down to, "one has to be traded". Wouldn't it make more sense if you had both and drafted or signed a starting true center. Say C's sign Jordan the rotation would be Sully, Jordan or Olynyk, Jordan or Sully, Olynyk.

Three awesome big rotations. The goal should be to keep it together and just use cap next year to get Jordan or Gasol.

Edit: Can probably add Hibbert if he opts out.

Because "rotations" are extremely overrated.  Really good players play for 35-40 minutes... often 40+ in the playoffs.  Say you had a 3 big rotation.   Better to have two really good bigs playing 38 minutes a night (with some backup getting 15-20 off the bench) than three good players getting 30 a night.  Say one of them is really exceptional... why limit him to a mere 30 a night?  If you had DeAndre Jordan getting 36 a night, are you going to limit Sully to 30 just so Oly can get 30 off the bench?    Or are you going to let Sully play for 40 minutes... leaving Oly (potentially  his equal) with a mere 20 minutes?   Seems like a waste to do that.   Better to have two really great starters and a mediocre backup than 3 solid players in a rotation.

Well personally I'd rather have to limit minutes between Gibson, Noah and Gasol then, like early last season's Clippers, have Jordan, Griffin and Hollins.

[indeedproceed]

To answer the OP's questions from my POV, no, he's not an elite scorer, maybe, he could be a go-to scorer, but not for a while, and it's highly improbable.