Svi Mykhailiuk made a statement in his 30-game stint with the Thunder last season. Rightfully so, he was rewarded a qualifying offer from the franchise last week. That card is now off the table.
As reported by HoopsHype‘s Michael Scotto, the Oklahoma City Thunder have rescinded their qualifying offer to Svi Mykhailiuk. He is now an unrestricted free agent.
Mykhailuk’s $2 million qualifying offer was a small price to pay for a bench wing capable of three-level scoring and solid defense. With that being said, the move to pull Mykhailiuk’s offer had nothing to do with his skill level — there was an objective in mind. In shredding Mykhailiuk from a return, Oklahoma City gains a one-player cushion in taking on players via free agency, or through trade acquisition.
Mykhailiuk’s free agent has yet to surface, but the 24-year-old won’t go unsigned for much longer. Mykhailiuk posted averages of 10.3 points, 3.0 rebounds, and 1.8 assists on 23.0 minutes per contest in his 30 appearances with the Thunder, blossoming into an around-piece offensively as opposed to a corner-sitter.
Oklahoma City can still pursue Mykhailiuk as a bidder, but this move indicates it’s not very likely. As it currently stands, the Thunder will be patching up a frontcourt logjam including Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Theo Maledon, Ty Jerome, and latest first-round picks Josh Giddey and Tre Mann.