Why the Utah Jazz's Free Agency Moves Are Bad for Svi Mykhailiuk

The Utah Jazz made a few tweaks to their roster in this year's free agency period to help them push the needle forward for their postseason aspirations come next season.

And overall, the Jazz's roster sits in a better position because of it. They added some veterans both on the wing and in their frontcourt, have a full 15-man roster, and are ready to roll for opening night in October.

But there's one player on the Jazz's roster who now might see his stock trending down based on the moves the team made this summer––that being Svi Mykhailiuk, who was a pleasant surprise in Utah's rotation last season, but will now have his work cut out for him to have a similar impact this coming year.

Why Svi Mykhailiuk's Stock Is Trending Down

When looking back at Mykhailiuk's 2025-26 campaign, you'll see that he found his way into a relatively stable piece of the Jazz's rotation, and for a good stretch of time, was a starter in Utah's backcourt next to Keyonte George.

In the 50 games he played in, Mykhailiuk started in 41 of those, averaging 9.4 points, 2.5 rebounds, and 1.9 assists while shooting 47.8% from the field and nearly 41% from three.

Mykhailiuk was a connector on the offensive end, worked well off the ball, and was efficient in his shot opportunities. He was even left out of the rotation towards the end of the year for being a bit too much of a winning player for the Jazz's tanking ambitions.

But in just a few weeks of offseason moves from the Jazz's behalf, his spot in the rotation is far less certain than it was entering last season.

Mar 28, 2026; Phoenix, Arizona, USA; Utah Jazz guard Svi Mykhailiuk (10) against the Phoenix Suns at Mortgage Matchup Center. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

For starters, Utah brought in second-overall pick Darryn Peterson, who's going to take a great deal of backcourt minutes, especially at the two.

Sure, the addition of Peterson is awesome for the Jazz's future, no one's disputing that. But it isn't quite as ideal for Mykhailiuk, who now is almost certain to shift down to the second unit after spending half of last season as a part of the starting five.

However, the Jazz didn't stop by adding Peterson to compete for minutes at the two, because they also signed Josh Okogie to a two-year deal, who will also compete for those same minutes that Mykhailiuk is gunning for.

And while it's not like Mykhailiuk isn't a comparable player to Okogie, who can hold his own in that battle for minutes, Okogie does offer the defensive versatility that the Jazz desperately need in their rotation and can be a plus-shooter from three––something that Mykhailiuk also brings to the table.

Mykhailiuk, while a steady veteran in the rotation who aligns well with the Jazz's offense, isn't the most high-level defender. And as a result, could be phased out in favor of Okogie once getting into the motions of the regular season.

Bottom Line

So after what felt like a lock that Mykhailiuk would find his way back into the rotation this season, now appears as if it'll be far from certain to see him in the mix on a nightly basis.

The good news is that the Jazz did guarantee Mykhailiuk's $3 million contract for next season earlier this summer, so the team at least has some type of plans in store for him during the year ahead.

As to what scale those plans will be at though, and whether he'll be above Okogie in the rotation remains to be seen.

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