Celtics reportedly interested in another reunion ahead of 2023 trade deadline

President of basketball operations Brad Stevens and the NBA-best Celtics could be looking back to their past for some added help at the 2023 NBA trade deadline, according to the latest report from Heavy’s Steve Bulpett.

And the ex-Celtic of interest to the club this time around, according to Bulpett, is Jazz big man Kelly Olynyk.

• A first-round pick of the Mavericks (on behalf of the Celtics) back in 2013 — with Olynyk notably taken two picks before the Bucks selected future MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo — the 6-foot-11 big spent the first four years of his career with the Celtics, and was coached by Stevens throughout his four-year run in Boston.

  Olynyk has since embarked on a career that’s included stops in Miami, Houston, Detroit, and now Utah, where the 31-year-old has been a dependable veteran presence for the Jazz.

  And with the Celtics scouring the market for some help up front.

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  Jan 3, 2023; Salt Lake City, Utah, USA; Utah Jazz forward Kelly Olynyk (41) takes a shot over Sacramento Kings forward Keegan Murray (13) during the first quarter at Vivint Arena. (Christopher Creveling/USA TODAY Sports)

• Already linked to the Spurs’ Jakub Poeltl this deadline season, the Celtics’ interest in Olynyk should hardly come as a surprise. Especially with Robert Williams III and his always-tricky health situation, as well as the obvious almost-too-good-to-be-true contributions of Luke Kornet this season.

  Olynyk has also reliable as ever this year, with 11.5 points per game (his second-best single-season average to date), along with a 48.8 field goal percentage and just his third NBA season with a three-point field goal percentage above 40 percent for the season.

  Any team looking for some added frontcourt pop should have the ex-Gonzaga talent on their wishlist.

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  SALT LAKE CITY, UTAH – DECEMBER 07: Kelly Olynyk #41 of the Utah Jazz shoots over Ty Jerome #10 of the Golden State Warriors during the first half of the game at Vivint Arena on December 07, 2022 in Salt Lake City. (Alex Goodlett/Getty Images)

• And the familiarity helps.

  In fact, it’s a well that’s rewarded Stevens in the past, as Stevens essentially began his front office tenure in 2021 with the decision to complete a trade with Oklahoma City that not only moved Kemba Walker’s albatross of a contract but perhaps most importantly brought Al Horford back to Boston after two seasons away.

  Horford has picked up where he left off as a key contributor to the Celtics, too.

  But whether or not the Celtics have the goods to pull off a reunion repeat and successfully swing a trade for Olynyk seems to be the question.

  “According to a league executive with knowledge of the situation, the Celts are still trying to learn what it would take to get Olynyk from the Jazz, but an Eastern Conference source whose club has been working the market for a center/power forward doesn’t believe the Heat or Celtics will be able to meet what Utah wants for Olynyk,” wrote Bulpett.

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  SALT LAKE CITY, UTAH – OCTOBER 19: Kelly Olynyk #41 of the Utah Jazz looks on during a game against the Denver Nuggets at Vivint Arena on October 19, 2022 in Salt Lake City, Utah. (Alex Goodlett/Getty Images)

• An obvious problem for the Celtics in any trade talks this deadline comes with the fact that they do not have a first-round pick this season. That was shipped out of town in the offseason trade for second-unit leader Malcolm Brogdon. The Celtics could trade a future first-round pick, of course, but that might not be the best offer the Jazz, who are led by CEO Danny Ainge, receives for Olynyk.

  It’s also hard to imagine that the Celtics are particularly interested in trading current pieces off their roster. Payton Pritchard, who is the team’s fourth-string point guard when they’re fully healthy, is the closest thing the team has to an ‘on the trade block’ player entering next week’s deadline.

  But that won’t stop the Celtics from making the call for a familiar face on their wishlist, you’d think.

• Never forget when Kelly Olynyk eliminated the Wizards in Game 7 🔥 pic.twitter.com/GWoHB1t0b9

  — Celtics Direct (@CelticsDirect) August 29, 2021

• Olynyk was at his best for the Celtics during the team’s second-round win over the Wizards in 2017, and more specifically in Game 7, as he totaled 26 points on 10-for-14 shooting off the Boston bench in the victory.

  Overall, the Canadian-born Olynyk is a veteran of 48 career playoff games between Boston and Miami.

  Oh, and perhaps fittingly, the Heat are also in on Olynyk, according to Bulpett.