Chris Forsberg, ESPN Staff Writer 9y

Olynyk on the rise

WALTHAM, Mass. -- If the draft hopefuls loosening up on the sidelines were not nervous before, they probably were now. Boston Celtics forward Kelly Olynyk was finishing an offseason workout at the team's practice facility in June by putting on a show as he circled the arc, splashing 3-pointers from every stop.

The college players just shook their heads watching a player who had just wrapped his own rookie campaign, all while Celtics officials beamed as they watched from high above the floor.

"I watched our draft workouts, and the best workout I saw all summer was Kelly Olynyk putting on a shooting clinic hitting 3s," team president Rich Gotham said. "We bring in all these guys, but we've got great guys on our team. It's exciting to think about how these guys will develop over time."

While much of the Celtics' preseason buzz has focused on newcomer Marcus Smart -- understandably so given that Smart could be thrust into an elevated role with Rajon Rondo sidelined by a hand fracture -- team brass has been quick to point toward the potential for growth from the returning players in the team's young core, especially the 23-year-old Olynyk.

After all, the Celtics treaded cautiously with Olynyk last season. Even after moving up three spots to snag him with the 13th pick in the 2013 draft, Celtics president of basketball operations Danny Ainge cautioned that Olynyk was a "complementary player" and not a star. As Olynyk battled the rookie learning curve and some lingering injuries, Boston limited his playing time while seemingly easing him along.

Olynyk showed some of his potential with an elevated role in the final games of the season, but his work this summer really has the Celtics encouraged.

"I think our best bet is to make him a big part of what we're doing," Celtics coach Brad Stevens said of Olynyk.

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