Every morning, we compile the links of the day and dump them here… highlighting the big story line. Because there’s nothing quite as satisfying as a good morning dump.

“I’m real comfortable,” he said. “You’re trying to get better each year. You’re always trying to get on that upper trend, that’s the goal for everything. Not only for myself but for the team.”

The Celtics allowed Olynyk to pass on summer league to play for Team Canada, and it ended up being a worthwhile experience for him. In the semifinal loss to Venezuela, Olynyk had 34 points and 13 rebounds.

“It’s just experience for me; the more you play the better you’re going to get,” he said. “You can definitely say the game is slowing down. You can see plays happen before they happen. It’s definitely more enjoyable the more you can do, the more you can do for your team.

“It’s like that in life, too. If you’re a chef and you can only make macaroni and cheese, I don’t think it would be that fun. I have a little more in my repertoire.”

Globe: Olynyk confident going into season

Olynyk’s growing confidence bodes well for the Celtics.  You’ll hear me make the case in the next Rainin’ J’s podcast (posting tomorrow) that Kelly Olynyk is supremely important to Isaiah Thomas’s ability to score. Olynyk’s ability to space the floor opens up lanes for Thomas to get to the rim. Without Olynyk on the floor, opposing centers can linger closer to the rim and bother Thomas’ shots more. The numbers don’t even matter with Olynyk. He’s a threat… a guy that needs to be guarded. That’s enough.

But this summer and preseason, we’ve seen Olynyk add wrinkles to his game. Regardless of the competition, he’s made plays he didn’t even think to try before. That fact alone is a good sign, since most of what’s bothered Olynyk, I believe, has been mental.

Yes, Olynyk is important to Thomas’ scoring. But he’s also important to the team’s scoring. And a more aggressive Olynyk who can make a few of those shots and create some of his own offense will be a huge boost to this team. He’s a really good passer, and maybe he has relied on that a little too much. But the ability to create some of his own offense will let those passing skills shine as guys are forced to commit harder to his offense.

I was asked the other day who the most important player on the Celtics would be this season. I told them Marcus Smart, which I believe to be true. But Kelly Olynyk is a very close second. If he can take a step forward in his progression, he’ll be a matchup problem for other teams, and it will have a big impact on the second unit’s scoring.

Page 2: Isaiah Thomas is having a lot of fun in Boston

His former coach at the University of Washington, Lorenzo Romar, only knew the Garden crowd from an opponent’s perspective as a member of the Warriors, Bucks and Pistons.

Thomas was visiting his alma mater when Romar lit up.

“Coach Romar was like, ‘You’re a Boston Celtic? Not everybody can say that,’ ” said Thomas. “And when people say things like that it really hits me.”

[…]

Thomas took the eldest of his two sons, 5-year-old James, on a Duck Boat ride for his birthday last month. They boarded in front of the museum, and went through the entire ride without acknowledgement from the other passengers.

Such is the world of a 5-foot-9 basketball player. On the floor, no one gets more cheers. Off of it, well . . .

“I blend in with people,” he said with a smile. “The people on that Duck Boat might have known me, but they didn’t say nothing. It was all friendly. But the more and more I’m here, it’s harder to go places. Sacramento is a great city, also Phoenix, but the love I get in Boston after only five months is unbelievable.”

Herald: Thomas gets a boost from Celtics forbear Archibald

Tell me again why guys wouldn’t want to play in Boston?

Tiny Archibald has a great line in that piece about how Boston fans love underdogs… the little guys succeeding in a big man’s world like Thomas.

It’s true.

Work your ass off, do your job well, and, if you happen to be a scrappy little SOB, then you’re gonna get the love.

Read that whole thing and by the end you’ll be looking to put on all of your Celtics gear and chant “LET’S GO CELTICS” by yourself in your room.

Not…. not that I just took a break to do that exact thing or anything.

And Finally…

Perry Jones has been waived. So has Corey Walden, so the roster is now set at 15. Jones had guaranteed money on his deal, but the Celtics got cash from OKC to account for that, so it’s a wash.

Jones is a member of the Jeff Green club… tantalizing talent with disappointing results. That talent will get him a chance with another team. If it’s the right situation, like maybe Philadelphia, he might have some success. Or maybe he’ll just go overseas and dominate some Chinese league. He’s talented enough to make money playing basketball, but maybe it’s not in the NBA.

Related links: ESPN Boston: Celtics waive Jones & Walden  |  MassLive: Roster ready for regular season, Jones, Walden waived

The rest of the links:

CSNNE: Blakely: This team is ready |  Preseason Celtics standouts  |  ESPN Boston: 5 takeaways from the preseason  |  Globe: Harvard, UConn stars can’t quite graduate to NBA  |  Herald: Stevens: College rules make balancing act hard  |  MassLive: pregame handshakes are entertaining (video)