Olynyk at peak. How good is he?

[Tr1boy]

How much better can he improve his conditioning??

Should he get slimmer or try to build a similar body as Love?

What about in terms of able to take over games??

Does he have the tools and skills to become an all star (or near all star)?

[LarBrd33]

He's 24 already.  He's probably not getting much better.  Poor man's Andrea Bargnani if he ever gets starter minutes (34+). 

Barg at the same age averaged 17.2 points, 6.2 rebounds, 1.2 assists, 1.4 block on 47%/37%/77% shooting

Diff is Barg got 35 mins and Oly got 22 min.

Per-36 Barg - 17.7 points, 6.3 rebounds, 1.2 assists, 1.4 blocks, 47%/37%/77%
Per-36 Oly - 16.6 points, 7.7 rebounds, 2.8 assists, 1.6 steals, 47%/35%/68%

[Who]

I still wonder whether Olynyk should try and beef up and become a Bill Laimbeer type center. Non-athletic, non shot-blocker, position based defender, rebounder and high post offensive facilitator (shooter & passer).

[D Dub]

He should get on that Kyle Korver offseason program.  Running underwater with rocks, redefining balanced footwork, all that stuff (think there was an Outside mag article about it). 

Basically, he needs great footwork to switch & stay in front defensively and also to be an absolute knock down outside shooter to be a starter in this league.  In my opinion, he'll never be a shotblocker or imposing force on the glass.

[Celtics4ever]

Strength is a lot easier to develop than speed.  So were I him I would do Olympic lifts, it does both do the Bigger Faster Stronger program, it will help in all areas.

[BornReady]

I see olynyk as a more energised and efficient version of bargnani
So probably a third big man

[Forza Juventus]

If he is next to an athletic shot blocking center he could be a solid starting stretch 4.

[Who]

What about in terms of able to take over games??

Does he have the tools and skills to become an all star (or near all star)?

I do not think so.

I think Olynyk lacks the first step and explosive quickness he needs to be a prolific scorer from the perimeter. I don't think he is powerful or athletic enough to be a prolific post player. I think his physical limitations at PF will always make him vulnerable to opposing PFs who are above average athletes who play good defense. The types of guys you often meet in the playoffs.

Olynyk, to me, is the type of player who often go missing in a playoff series because they can be targeted by strong defensive players and well contained + lack the athleticism to deal with that increased attention by strong defensive players.

I think Olynyk is a 4th option type player. A guy who can get you 13-16ppg if playing 30+mpg.

However, I am not convinced Olynyk can play defense well enough to stay on the floor for 30+mpg at the PF position. His lack of lateral quickness is a large problem. He cannot stay in front of the athletic PFs in the league. He lacks physicality. The stronger brute force guys (say Z-Bo) can bully him. I don't think Olynyk (as a 4th option) really adds enough offensively to be a good starting PF when you account for defensive flaws.

So I see him as a role player. Most likely a bench player.

[mr. dee]

Players like Carmelo, Pierce and Dirk do not have explosive first step, yet they are prolific scorers. I think he has the handles to do isolations. He just needs to develop footwork and handles.

[Who]

Players like Carmelo, Pierce and Dirk do not have explosive first step, yet they are prolific scorers. I think he has the handles to do isolations. He just needs to develop footwork and handles.

Pierce and Carmelo both explosive first steps.

Dirk never really did.

[Fred Roberts]

Hasn't peaked. Still working on body,  game and confidence.  No guarantee he gets better but he certainly could assuming he continues working on the right stuff.

[gpap]

A semi-decent bench player at best.

[LooseCannon]

He's 24 already.  He's probably not getting much better.  Poor man's Andrea Bargnani if he ever gets starter minutes (34+). 

Peak Bargnani is a poor man's version of what Olynyk already is.  Bargs was a historically bad rebounder for a 7-footer.  Olynyk isn't great, but he is significantly better.  He's also a better defender, partly because he actually tries.

I don't think Olynyk is the next Dirk, but he has the potential to be a better Channing Frye.

[Fred Roberts]

Players like Carmelo, Pierce and Dirk do not have explosive first step, yet they are prolific scorers. I think he has the handles to do isolations. He just needs to develop footwork and handles.

Pierce and Carmelo both explosive first steps.

Dirk never really did.

Kelly has the ability to pump fake and drive.  He's just not that consistent or aggressive with it. 

[Celtics18]

I think the key for him is strength.  He has to get stronger and tougher.  I'm not really as concerned about the foot speed (which I don't actually think is that bad).

I'm starting to think that his best position is at center.  He actually generally positions himself fairly well in the paint and seems to have good awareness of where drivers and potential drivers are located.

As mentioned, though, he needs to get stronger, so he can actually do something about it when he gets in position.

At center, he's a nightmare for the opposition at the other end of the court. 

Put a real lengthy, springy athlete who has the quicks to guard on the perimeter and the hops to help protect the paint next to him at the four (like maybe Nerlens Noel) and I think that could be a nice front court tandem.