The One Deadline Move the Utah Jazz Should Be Prioritizing

With the NBA trade deadline sitting just two weeks away from transpiring, the buzz surrounding potential players on the move and the deals to come with it are bound to ramp up across the coming days.

For the Utah Jazz, there likely won't be many splashes on the horizon. Unless a godfather offer finally comes for Lauri Markkanen, all signs are seeming to point towards this deadline being a bit of a quieter one, only with a few moves around the edges to be made.

Now that doesn't mean zero trades are to be expected by the Jazz at the deadline. For the past three seasons, Utah has made at least one deadline deal, with last year's 2025 deadline being especially active for the Jazz with multiple minor moves around the edges to land several future second-round picks.

This year, the stage could be set for a similar approach from the Jazz and their front office. But when taking a step back to look at the roster and who could be a moving piece for that potential deadline action, there's one name who sticks out as a prime candidate that Utah should be looking to cash in on: veteran guard Svi Mykhailiuk.

Why Trading Svi Mykhailiuk Makes Too Much Sense

Svi Mykhailiuk has turned into the latest example for the Jazz as a veteran who's built up his individual value over the course of the season that could now have caught the attention of other teams around the league, and thus, might receive some interest at the deadline.

Believe it or not, Mykhailiuk, in each of the 39 games he's been healthy and on the floor for this season, has started for the Jazz, playing in just over 24 minutes a game as the supporting piece in the backcourt next to third-year breakout star Keyonte George.

In those opportunities, he's been a consistent and quality contributor on the wing. He's 8.9 points on pretty efficient 47.6% shooting from the field and 38.6% from three, pairing that with 2.6 rebounds and 1.9 assists.

Jan 20, 2026; Salt Lake City, Utah, USA; Utah Jazz guard Svi Mykhailiuk (10) warms up before the game against the Minnesota Timberwolves at Delta Center. Mandatory Credit: Rob Gray-Imagn Images | Rob Gray-Imagn Images

However, the Jazz have shown as of late that despite that production, they're not shy of resting their productive veteran in order to give their young plauers more shine. He's been a DNP in five of his last ten games, averaging a lower 20.6 minutes a game in those showings as well.

It's clear the Jazz want to ride their tank out for one more year, so prioritizing that youth is the right shift to make in the rotation. But rather than dishing DNPs out for Mykhailiuk, another team looking for wing depth and shooting could acquire him in a trade for cheap.

He's a versatile and plug-and-play lineup fit that has proven he can be a high-level spot-up shooter when given the green light, has some extensive NBA experience having been on eight franchises and winning a title in 2024 with the Boston Celtics, and perhaps most importantly, comes on an extremely team-friendly contract.

Mykhailiuk signed a four-year, $15 million deal with the Jazz in the summer of 2024 that leaves him under contract until 2027 with a team option for 2028, making an average of $3.78 million a season; pennies for a rotational player under the current CBA, and could drive up any calls Utah's way to put together a deadline trade.

What could the return be on a player like Mykhailiuk? It's hard to see any significant chips being pushed forward for his services, but maybe a second round pick could be in play.

The last two times Mykhailiuk has been traded individually (2019 w/ LAL & 2021 w/ DET), it came with a second-rounder in return for him. If history is any indication of what lies ahead, maybe the Jazz could be the latest to join that trend.

As always when doing business with Danny and Austin Ainge, the Jazz certainly won't be stepped on for any deal that isn't to their liking. But if there is interest in play for Mykhailiuk from teams at the deadline looking to acquire him, it definitely wouldn't be shocking to see that particular move go down.

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