OKC Thunder: 2 impending free agents to consider re-signing

OKC Thunder free agent No. 2) Sviatoslav Mykhailiuk

Like Tony Bradley, Sviatoslav Mykhailiuk, too, was acquired this past trade season, as he was a part of the surprise deal that sent Hamidou Diallo to the Detroit Pistons.

A third-year wing out of Kansas, Mykhailiuk has made his way into NBA rotations as a tertiary scoring option, specifically from beyond the arc, as he shoots a career 36 percent from 3-point range.

Through 25 games played with the Thunder, the shooting guard finds himself averaging 9.6 points, 3.1 rebounds, and 1.6 assists.

Though perhaps swapping out Diallo for the Ukrainian-born baller may have been viewed as a bit of a mystery move to some, there are others such as our very own Matthew Hallett who believe that Mykhailiuk is actually a better fit for how the OKC Thunder prefer to play:

"Mykhailiuk is a 6’7″ combination wing player who has made a name for himself as a long-range sniper. He has shot the ball at 36.6 percent for his career from behind the 3-point line. He has taken 4.1 shots from deep out of 6.0 total shots per game over his career. This is where he is going to be more beneficial for the Thunder than Diallo and his athleticism. The Thunder are building around the talents of Shai Gilgeous-Alexander who is the most dangerous paint penetrator in the entire league. In order to utilize this skill to the greatest benefit, the Thunder need to be able to deploy as many perimeter threats as they can. This will then allow Gilgeous-Alexander to create for himself and for others in a manner that will lead the Thunder to success in the future."

Every contending team seems to either covet or already have solid wing role players at their disposal who can generate offense either on their own terms or off catch-and-shoot scenarios.

Still just 23-years-old, bringing back a potential gunner like Sviatoslav Mykhailiuk on a low-cost multi-year contract could be worth it down the road for this ball club.