Former Gonzaga Bulldogs standout Kelly Olynyk is getting traded for the third time in five months, this time going from Washington to San Antonio for two players and a second-round pick, a person with knowledge of the agreement said Tuesday night.
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The Wizards will receive Malaki Branham and Blake Wesley, said the person, who spoke on condition of anonymity to The Associated Press because the trade was still pending the customary NBA approval.
Olynyk was traded by Toronto to New Orleans in February as part of the deal that sent Brandon Ingram to the Raptors, then was moved by the Pelicans to the Wizards last month in the deal that sent Jordan Poole to New Orleans and CJ McCollum to Washington.
He now moves on to the Spurs, where he’ll add more frontline depth to a team built around Victor Wembanyama. San Antonio also added big man Luke Kornet this summer and swung a deal last season for point guard De’Aaron Fox.
Olynyk has averaged 10.2 points and 5.2 rebounds during his career. He’s going into his 13th season, having already played in Boston, Miami, Utah, Toronto, Detroit, New Orleans and Houston.
The Toronto-born Olynyk went to high school in Kamloops, British Columbia, and played at Gonzaga from 2009-13. He was the WCC Player of the Year as a senior in 2013, and his No. 13 was retired by the Zags in 2022.
OKC extends Holmgren
Chet Holmgren has agreed on a five-year contract extension worth nearly $240 million to remain with the NBA champion Oklahoma City Thunder, a person with knowledge of the deal said Wednesday.
The 7-foot-1 forward spent his lone college season in 2021-22 with Gonzaga.
The person spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because the signing has not yet been announced. ESPN, which first reported the deal, citing agent Bill Duffy, said it could eventually be worth $250 million because of various contract escalators.
It is the second major extension for the Thunder since winning the NBA title last month. The other went to NBA MVP, NBA Finals MVP and reigning scoring champion Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, who got a four-year, $285 million extension.
And soon, the Thunder could extend Jalen Williams — another huge part of the title team — and lock up the entirety of their young core for years.
Holmgren will make $13.7 million this coming season, the final year of his rookie deal, before his salary jumps to about $41 million for 2026-27 and the start of the extension.
He was the No. 2 pick behind Orlando’s Paolo Banchero in the 2022 NBA draft, then missed the entirety of what would have been his first pro season with a foot injury. He played all 82 games in 2023-24 to help the Thunder make the second round of the playoffs, then was limited to 32 games this past season after suffering a hip injury.
Holmgren was there for the entirety of the Thunder playoff run, averaging 15.2 points and 8.7 rebounds in 23 postseason games — capped by Oklahoma City holding off Indiana and winning the NBA Finals in a seven-game thriller.
Seattle Sports staff made minor additions to this post.
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