Kelly Olynyk Optimistic In Rockets' Rebuild With Stephen Silas At The Helm

After spending half a season together, Jazz big man Kelly Olynyk is optimistic in the Houston Rockets rebuild with Stephen Silas at the helm.

HOUSTON — When Kelly Olynyk played for the Houston Rockets during the back half of the 2020-21 campaign, coach Stephen Silas jokingly said he wished he could have experienced the hot 3-point shooting of his former player. 

Olynyk walked into the Toyota Center Monday night, shooting 9-of-12 from behind the arc. As his coach, Silas did not get a chance to experience Olynyk's scorching 3-point shot, but he will forever be grateful for his professionalism.

"He is a great locker room guy," Silas said. "When we were down as a group, he was a breath of fresh air. He makes other people better on the basketball court because he is such a good passer. He's a great teammate and great person."

Silas said Olynyk was a joy to be around during his first season as head coach of the Rockets. He joined the Rockets amid their worst season in franchise history following a trade deadline deal that landed Houston Olynyk from the Miami Heat in exchange for Victor Oladipo.

Despite experiencing five wins during the final 28 games, Olynyk said Silas made it fun to come to work each day. 

Olynyk described Silas as a player's coach who always displayed a sense of positivity throughout the locker room. And when it came to the X's and O's, Olynyk admired Silas' basketball IQ to get the best production out of his players despite the lack of talent. 

In the 27 games he played in Houston, Olynyk averaged a career-best 19.0 points on 39.2 percent shooting from behind the arc. The offensive peak Olynyk reached in Houston is the reason behind the faith he has in the Rockets' rebuild with Silas at the helm. The Rockets finished Olynyk's lone season with a league's worst record at 17-55. 

"They have a lot of guys who are talented and skilled," Olynyk said. "They have to put it together. They have to come together as a team. They are headed in the right direction. Stephen has them playing the right way. He has some pieces now that he can definitely build upon."

The professionalism and leadership Olynyk displayed with Silas is helping a new head coach, Will Hardy, find his stride amid his first season. The Utah Jazz began the 2022-23 season with a 4-1 record. 

Their only loss came amid a 114-108 defeat to the Rockets. Following the Rockets' 109-101 loss Wednesday night, Houston split their home-and-home series against Utah, with Olynyk averaging 8.5 points, 8.5 rebounds and 5.0 assists. 

But even as an opponent, Silas has yet to experience Olynyk's impressive 3-point shooting. He shot an average of 50.0 percent from behind the arc against the Rockets.

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You can follow Coty M. Davis on Twitter at @CotyDavis_24

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