Kelly Olynyk is soft.

[moiso]

Ainge picked who he thought was the best player available when he picked both Sullinger and Olynyk.  Position is irrelevant at this stage.  And yeah, Gobert looks great now, but nobody knew this even after his first season in the league.

[SHAQATTACK]

Gobert  has looked way better than I suspected he might .

KO ......is not flatfooted. He just plays that way .......he has never had to really leap or exert himself ,  just being tall is not going to cut it .   

We ve seen him jump a few times .  But it's rare,  it's like he had to think about it.    .   

He plays around his opponents when going for a rebound , tries to reach over people , that doesn't work in the NBA where everybody can jump.   

He needs to box out , use his body to shield , JUMP up strong and snag the ball....both elbows out with energy. ......

He stands around on his tip toes .....reaching ......that isn't going to work .  .

He refuses to force  his way Into decent paint position....

Kelly is maddening down low.

I need nerve pill ..and game hasn't started

[Tr1boy]

KO with 10 more pounds of strength + aggression is a dangerous player.   How many guys 7-0 can do half the things he can?    He just needs to put it together. CBS has to help him put it together

[heldthemhanging]

Using Win Shares (an admittedly flawed stat) Kelly is 2nd in the draft, trailing only Plumlee. Kelly has his weaknesses but he's also an incredibly efficient scorer and a gifted passer and dribbler for a big man. I think his strengths outweigh his flaws and hopefully he continues to improve.

This year the team is 8.6 points per 100 possessions better when he's on the floor (we actually outscore the opposition when he's out there which is really saying something considering how poorly we've played).

[PickNRoll]

The on/off court numbers are the most compelling argument I've heard for Kelly.  If we score more than the opposition with him on the court,that's good enough for me.  Now just find 5 guys who do that consistently.

[Celtics18]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WI822HpKRIg

This is an awful video. Not sure what it means other than Olynyk misses shots and has been both blocked and stripped too. Watching a lowlight video of Bird vs a highlight reel of Lohaus and the latter would look like the far superior player.

I'm saying that you can make one of these every game.  He's a weak finisher and he does not "play tough" with the ball as Stevens would say.  He's "soft", as it were.

Your claim that Olynyk is a "weak finisher" appears to be untrue.

I did a search on BasketballReference and looked at the field goal percentage numbers from 0 to 3 feet for a range of the top power forwards in the league, and, somewhat surprisingly Kelly ranked near the top:

Here are the numbers:

1st number:  FG% on shots from 0-3 feet

2nd number:  Percentage of field goal attempts taken from 0-3 feet

Anthony Davis:  .760, .379
Dirk Nowitzki:  .750, .069
Derrick Favors:  .749, .464
Kelly Olynyk:  .738, .385
David Lee:  .719, .496
Nene: .702, .406
Blake Griffin: .697, .325
Lamarcus Aldridge: .690, .191
Serge Ibaka: .689, .199
Tim Duncan: .687, .366
Amir Johnson: .681, 481
Draymond Green: .678, .318
David West: .667, .132
Paul Milsap: .665, .378
Jared Sullinger: .654, .277
John Henson: .653, .655
Markieff Morris: .627, .225
Zach Randolph: .626, .453
Al Jefferson: .626, .270
Donatas Motiejunas: .613, .314
Taj Gibson: .604, .561
Greg Monroe: .601, .569
Luis Scola: .597, .336
Pau Gasol: .592, .326
Cody Zeller: .543, .502
Chris Bosh: .566, .190
Boris Diaw: .514, .296

[Rosco917]

I'm not denying Danny thought he was choosing the best layer available. But he had to realize two slow footed, athletically challenged power forwards we're going to produce a slow reacting, non rim protecting front court if played together. And it has.
I mean honestly, someone has to defend the paint, and the rim. Neither can. Offense is nice, but seriously.

I'm not saying Kelly doesn't has talent, he has small man talent. Ten pounds of strength will not accomplish anything, and the fact, he is aggressive, that's why he's always in foul trouble. He pushes, and reaches, and grabs, to cover up the fact that he is slow footed, slow off of his feet, and a poor leaper in general.

On the offensive side of the ball... yes, he is unique, and he will make a nice 6 or 7th guy off the bench when the team needs points in a hurry.
   

[Celtics18]

I'm not denying Danny thought he was choosing the best layer available. But he had to realize two slow footed, athletically challenged power forwards we're going to produce a slow reacting, non rim protecting front court if played together. And it has.
I mean honestly, someone has to defend the paint, and the rim. Neither can. Offense is nice, but seriously.

I'm not saying Kelly doesn't has talent, he has small man talent. Ten pounds of strength will not accomplish anything, and the fact, he is aggressive, that's why he's always in foul trouble. He pushes, and reaches, and grabs, to cover up the fact that he is slow footed, slow off of his feet, and a poor leaper in general.

On the offensive side of the ball... yes, he is unique, and he will make a nice 6 or 7th guy off the bench when the team needs points in a hurry.
 

Or he'll make a very nice, offensively versatile starting power forward when he finally becomes paired with a legitimate, defensive minded, athletic, rim protecting center.

[PickNRoll]

Your claim that Olynyk is a "weak finisher" appears to be untrue.

I did a search on BasketballReference and looked at the field goal percentage numbers from 0 to 3 feet for a range of the top power forwards in the league, and, somewhat surprisingly Kelly ranked near the top:

Here are the numbers:

1st number:  FG% on shots from 0-3 feet

2nd number:  Percentage of field goal attempts taken from 0-3 feet

Anthony Davis:  .760, .379
Dirk Nowitzki:  .750, .069
Derrick Favors:  .749, .464
Kelly Olynyk:  .738, .385

The numbers look pretty good.  Here's what my eyes tell me.  Kelly does a good job of finding openings.  We have a couple of nice hi-lo actions, plus he's learning the right places to pump fake from so that he can get to the rim with 1 dribble.  I'll give him credit.

However, when he does meet opposition, he gets manhandled.  He doesn't control the space that he occupies and he gets bullied.  He also doesn't do a good job establishing position early, on either side of the ball, and he obviously doesn't have any post game yet.

[Beat LA]

I know that I posted something similar to this in the deflategate section, but it's so easy to turn the title of this thread into a Geico commercial, "Huh.  Kelly Olynyk is soft."  "Yeah, everybody knows that."  "Well, did you know that playing cards with Kenny Rogers gets old pretty fast?"   Ugh.  I hate Geico, lol.

[PickNRoll]

I know that I posted something similar to this in the deflategate section, but it's so easy to turn the title of this thread into a Geico commercial, "Huh.  Kelly Olynyk is soft."  "Yeah, everybody knows that."  "Well, did you know that playing cards with Kenny Rogers gets old pretty fast?"   Ugh.  I hate Geico, lol.

HA!

"How slow?"
"Slower than Kelly Olynynk in a ladder drill." (cue banjo)

[Celtics18]

Your claim that Olynyk is a "weak finisher" appears to be untrue.

I did a search on BasketballReference and looked at the field goal percentage numbers from 0 to 3 feet for a range of the top power forwards in the league, and, somewhat surprisingly Kelly ranked near the top:

Here are the numbers:

1st number:  FG% on shots from 0-3 feet

2nd number:  Percentage of field goal attempts taken from 0-3 feet

Anthony Davis:  .760, .379
Dirk Nowitzki:  .750, .069
Derrick Favors:  .749, .464
Kelly Olynyk:  .738, .385

The numbers look pretty good.  Here's what my eyes tell me.  Kelly does a good job of finding openings.  We have a couple of nice hi-lo actions, plus he's learning the right places to pump fake from so that he can get to the rim with 1 dribble.  I'll give him credit.

However, when he does meet opposition, he gets manhandled.  He doesn't control the space that he occupies and he gets bullied.  He also doesn't do a good job establishing position early, on either side of the ball, and he obviously doesn't have any post game yet.

I started this thread with the idea that Kelly Olynyk is indeed soft.  However, I am of the opinion that once he starts to toughen up just a little bit, he could end up surprising a whole lot of naysayers.

He really has unique skills for a seven footer.  And I know the word "unique" gets thrown around too much, but in Kelly's case I find it applicable.  I don't think there's a seven footer in the league who can drive the lane and finish the way Kelly can.  I also don't think there's a seven footer who can pull up for a transition three as well as Kelly can.

Of course, I could be mistaken and his lack of physical toughness and athleticism will end up derailing him and stopping him from being a quality starter in this league.

We shall see.  I'm hoping to see my scenario become the reality. 

[PickNRoll]

Your claim that Olynyk is a "weak finisher" appears to be untrue.

I did a search on BasketballReference and looked at the field goal percentage numbers from 0 to 3 feet for a range of the top power forwards in the league, and, somewhat surprisingly Kelly ranked near the top:

Here are the numbers:

1st number:  FG% on shots from 0-3 feet

2nd number:  Percentage of field goal attempts taken from 0-3 feet

Anthony Davis:  .760, .379
Dirk Nowitzki:  .750, .069
Derrick Favors:  .749, .464
Kelly Olynyk:  .738, .385

The numbers look pretty good.  Here's what my eyes tell me.  Kelly does a good job of finding openings.  We have a couple of nice hi-lo actions, plus he's learning the right places to pump fake from so that he can get to the rim with 1 dribble.  I'll give him credit.

However, when he does meet opposition, he gets manhandled.  He doesn't control the space that he occupies and he gets bullied.  He also doesn't do a good job establishing position early, on either side of the ball, and he obviously doesn't have any post game yet.

I started this thread with the idea that Kelly Olynyk is indeed soft.  However, I am of the opinion that once he starts to toughen up just a little bit, he could end up surprising a whole lot of naysayers.

He really has unique skills for a seven footer.  And I know the word "unique" gets thrown around too much, but in Kelly's case I find it applicable.  I don't think there's a seven footer in the league who can drive the lane and finish the way Kelly can.  I also don't think there's a seven footer who can pull up for a transition three as well as Kelly can.

Of course, I could be mistaken and his lack of physical toughness and athleticism will end up derailing him and stopping him from being a quality starter in this league.

We shall see.  I'm hoping to see my scenario become the reality.

Too soon to say.  Most likely of all is Danny packages him in a big trade a la KG.

[D.o.s.]

Ala Big Al or Wall Sczerb, you mean.

[Tr1boy]

KO is in his 2nd year in the nba. How long did it take big guys like Aldrige to get good?

Relax folks