On February 5, 2025, one day before the NBA trade deadline, the New Orleans Pelicans finally parted ways with Brandon Ingram. That move was a bittersweet moment for the Pelicans and their faithful. Through the last five years, the team found that its ceiling with BI was much lower than they needed it to be, but he gave this franchise plenty of unforgettable moments and will go down as one of the most impactful players in the organization's history.
Ingram's departure was equally as drawn out as it was heartbreaking, as the entire basketball world knew for years that it was only a matter of time before he was traded by the Pelicans. Because of the conflicting nature of the deal and the strong emotions it evoked, it was easy to forget about the other side of the swap and what New Orleans actually got in return for BI. The final package turned out to be Kelly Olynyk, Bruce Brown Jr., a top-four protected first-round pick in 2026 via the Indiana Pacers, and a 2031 second-rounder.
It was difficult to properly gauge the trade right away, as I suspected that the two veterans the Pelicans got back in return might be rerouted to playoff contenders before the deadline. Ultimately, New Orleans chose to stay put and stick with Olynyk and Brown Jr. The Pelicans and their fans had to wait quite a while to see what Kelly Olynyk would look like for this team, as he apparently ran into some international travel issues, but his debut was worth the wait.
Kelly Olynyk is exactly what the Pelicans have needed next to Zion Williamson
Since he's coming off an especially long break and it was his first game with the team, Kelly Olynyk only saw the floor for 23 minutes against the Dallas Mavericks. Somewhat surprisingly, he was inserted into the starting lineup for his debut, although it makes sense when examining the Pelicans' shorthanded big-man rotation.
In that time, he put up a modest stat line, finishing with just four points, three rebounds, and three assists on 2-6 shooting. Despite those meager counting numbers, he was a +11 in a game that the Pelicans lost by eight.
The Pelicans have long searched for a player like Olynyk to slot alongside Zion, one capable of defending the paint while also spacing the floor for Big Z on the other end of the court. Against the Mavs, Olynyk showed why that's the ideal configuration next to Williamson.
Having the extra room to operate on offense made attacking the lane significantly easier for Zion and the other Pelicans while Olynyk was on the floor. At the same time, his presence as a big body in the paint kept New Orleans competitive on defense as well. Once he gets his sea legs and starts playing in more lineups that don't have him next to two other bigs, it won't be surprising to see Olynyk put up numbers like he was with the Utah Jazz in 2022-23. It'll be even less surprising to see Zion thrive while playing next to him.
Grade: C+