Veteran big man Kelly Olynyk was one of the many players on the move this offseason after inking a five-year, $50 million deal with the Miami Heat in free agency.

According to Ira Winderman of the Sun-Sentinel, Olynyk has quickly developed a strong friendship with new teammate Hassan Whiteside over the past few weeks.

RECOMMENDED (Article Continues Below)
Miami Heat stars Tyler Herro, Bam Adebayo, and head coach Erik Spoelstra in front of TD Garden.

Zachary Weinberger ·

Heat Celtics prediction

Chris Spiering ·

Miami Heat star Bam Adebayo in front of the Kaseya Center.

Zachary Weinberger ·

“He's a great guy, a great character, a super nice guy,” he said of their encounters. “But he's a beast. I'm really excited to play with him and be able to play with a guy of his size and his abilities on the floor, defensively, offensively, on the glass.

“He's awesome to be around and [I’m] really looking forward to playing with him.”

There has been an immediate bond built between both players that could help ease the transition process for Olynyk in his first campaign with the Heat after spending his first four years in the league with the Boston Celtics. He could find a consistent role in the rotation alongside Whiteside as a stretch power forward in various lineups.

Meanwhile, Whiteside has developed into one of the top big men in the league with the Heat that has proven to be a factor on both ends of the floor. He is coming off his best individual campaign where he averaged career highs with 17.0 points on 55.7 percent shooting from the field with 14.1 rebounds per game.

The fact that Olynyk has already established a strong bond with Whiteside this earlier in the offseason could be an encouraging sign toward him quickly acquiescing to his new team next season.