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.

It seemed unlikely from the start of the offseason that Bass would return to the Celtics and, when the team came to agreement on Day 1 of free agency with both Amir Johnson and Jonas Jerebko, it only confirmed that notion.

The 30-year-old Bass, a veteran of 10 NBA seasons, including the past four with the Celtics, agreed Sunday to sign with the rival Lakers.

Bass, a diligent solider who endured endless speculation about his future in recent years, appeared in every game the past three seasons for Boston (starting 76 percent of the team’s games in that span).

While he didn’t have the glitziest stat line — Bass and his steady mid-range game averaged 10.6 points and 5.5 rebounds over 27.3 minutes per game during his four seasons in Boston — Bass brought a blue-collar work ethic and won fans over with toughness and defensive versatility.

Bass earned the team’s Auerbach Award during the 2013-14 season, an honor that celebrates the player who best exemplifies the spirit of what it means to be a Celtic through performance on the court and off. Bass embraced his community work while in Boston, even returning last month to lead a local zoo tour despite the likelihood that he would not be back this season.

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Celtics fans will find it odd to see Bass in purple and gold — even if it will harken him back to his college days at LSU. Regardless, most Celtics fans were sincere in bidding Bass a fond farewell. About the meanest they could muster was suggesting they simply wish that Bass had signed with a true contender.

ESPN Boston – No hard feelings for Brandon Bass joining Los Angeles Lakers

I’ve been referring to Brandon Bass as a cockroach –in the most endearing and respectful way possible– ever since the summer of 2013. Once Danny started the true demolition of the playoff-level Celtics, I figured that would spell the end for Bass in green and white. I expected to see him on a competitive team in an ancillary role. Instead, Bass survived that off-season, the next off-season, and two trade deadlines. I was never really sure what he was still doing here and I’m not even sure if he knew what he was still doing in Boston, too, but it never affected the effort and dedication he put forth in doing his job.

Bass was an indispensable member of the Celtics last true contending team in 2012. Indispensable simply because that team had no bench. He proved indispensable during these last two rebuilding years as a veteran presence on a young, rebuilding squad. He was indispensable in the community, as Forsberg points out and as the organization recognized in 2013-14. His return to Boston will likely be celebrated with a standing ovation when he checks in as a sub off the bench for that dumpster fire also known as the Los Angeles Lakers. I don’t see a jumbotron video in his future (but don’t put it past the Celtics in this age of “I’m Coming Home” tributes), nor do I think there should be. Everything about Bass was understated; it was never for show.

I’ll miss those 15-18 foot jumpers and dunks that launched off of two-footed jumps. Thanks for four, yeoman-like years in Boston, Brandon.

A funny personal anecdote to end: Bass and his family resided in Needham, where I grew up, and his son, Brandon Jr., played in the Needham Basketball Association (the real NBA), which my dad co-runs. Brandon would show up to watch his son play whenever the Cs scheduled allowed and was by all accounts, just as much of a class act as all reports make him out to be.

If you’re looking for a 2028 NBA Draft report on Brandon Junior, I refereed one of his playoff games. I whistled him for a couple travels, stopped the game when he simply walked across the court to go see his mom while he was supposed to be on the bench, and suspended play for over 5 minutes when no one could find him after halftime (he was in the bathroom). The kid is going to be a star.

On page 2, Kelly Olynyk is putting in work in Utah

Brad Stevens’ attempt to improve the Celtics’ offseason culture has resonated with Kelly Olynyk.

The 7-foot forward, a fixture in Waltham throughout pre-draft workouts and the summer league team’s minicamp, simply moved west with the caravan.

Olynyk ran through a few pick-and-roll and shooting drills with the coach and assistant Jay Larranaga before the team’s practice yesterday at Energy Solutions Arena.

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Stevens has said he wants Olynyk to assert himself more at the 3-point line, either with his jumper or by driving on defensive close-outs.

“Just working on getting my shot off a little quicker, with more consistency,” Olynyk said. “I’m just taking a lot of shots — similar stuff to what you work on all the time but you’re fine-tuning it. You always want to be better. As long as you’re on an upward trend, that’s the goal.”

Boston Herald – Summer school not a drag for Celtics’ Kelly Olynyk

As one of the team’s more consistent players gets ready to leave town for Los Angeles, it’s nice to hear that one of its more inconsistent, yet talented up-and-comers is putting work in on his game during the off-season. I, for one, never do read too much into the “Player X has been really working hard this off-season” stories. I’ve been burned by them too many times, and now see them as material for beat writers during the slow-paced summer months.

I will take this moment to say that year three is where Kelly Olynyk needs to take a big leap offensively, especially when it comes to offensive consistency. No one is expecting KO to become a 20 point per game scorer, but since defense wasn’t, isn’t and never will be his strong point, it would be great to see him become a nightly presence on the offensive end.

If I’m to get hyped up about off-season player improvement stories, then Olynyk, Jared Sullinger and James Young will all be all-stars and the Cs will be challenging Lebron, Love and Kyrie in the playoffs.

Let’s hope this story and Kelly’s work do lead to some noticeable, on court improvements.