Former Gonzaga star Kelly Olynyk agrees to sign with Miami Heat

MIAMI – Kelly Olynyk has agreed to sign with the Miami Heat.

Agent Greg Lawrence confirmed the decision to The Associated Press on Thursday night. ESPN reported it would be a four-year deal worth in excess of $50 million.

The deal has not been signed, though could be as early as Friday.

A 7-footer with 3-point range, Olynyk spent his first four NBA seasons with the Boston Celtics and played mostly as a reserve. The native of Canada averaged 9.5 points in 278 regular-season games shot a career-best 51 percent last season.

Olynyk played at Gonzaga from 2009-13, earning first team All-America honors, first team All-WCC, and WCC Player of the Year honors in 2013. He was selected in the first round of the 2013 NBA Draft by the Dallas Mavericks and traded on draft night to the Celtics.

Olynyk’s deal means that for the Heat to complete the re-signings of James Johnson and Wayne Ellington – who are both still wanted by Miami – a deal will have to be swung to get rid of some salary and create more cap space. Josh McRoberts, who has played in only 81 games during his three injury-plagued seasons in Miami, would be the most likely candidate for a trade.

McRoberts is due to make just over $6 million next season.

Olynyk had a run-in with Heat center Hassan Whiteside in 2015. Whiteside elbowed Olynyk in the head and was suspended for a game, though tracked down Olynyk’s number and offered an apology.

And now they’ll be teammates.

“He’s a good guy,” Olynyk said after the apology.

The Heat value the corner 3-pointer, as many teams have in this NBA, and Olynyk could be a huge addition on that front. According to the NBA’s stat-tracking page, Olynyk was 18 for 32 this past season on corner 3-pointers – and was also a strong finisher at the rim, connecting on 73 percent of his tries in the restricted area.

Olynyk had a pair of 26-point games for the Celtics last season, including one in Game 7 of Boston’s second-round playoff win over Washington.