Svi Mykhailiuk: Not a Pistons season review

Where he will be

Sviatoslav Mykhailiuk projects to be a good rotation player in my estimation. He does enough things on offense to trump his lacking defense.  If he adds muscle to his frame, as Klay Thompson did, and strengthens his core he raises his ceiling a lot.

He won’t get bullied on defense and he’ll be able to push off some people on offense.  Not all people. He may lack wingspan, but at 6’8″, he has more than enough size to put a guard on his side, push him off and finish over him.

However, it would still be challenging for him to go to a bigger player. He mainly relies on hang time to finish over length and that won’t fly in the NBA. He’ll have to develop some quick fading-away finishes, much like Lou Williams, if he wants to get to the next level of scoring.

On defense he doesn’t back down from challenging bigger players and bulking up could mean major defensive improvement for him. Given his lacking standing reach, standing his ground is essential if he wants to become a plus defender.

On the ball, the defense is going to be a challenge for him if he’s easily pushed off. Good defenders can get back into the play and contest the shot, but Mykhailiuk’s lack of length hinders him. Starters will punish him often and stars will punish him always. That’s why it’s safer to assume that a bench role will suit him better.

Off the ball, he shows great awareness and solid speed. He has quick feet and can move through screens, but he doesn’t cover that much ground on the weak side. He’ll have to be focused and well-positioned all the time against elite competition if he wants to stay on the floor. Allowing separation to a good shooter is death even for long athletic defenders. Mykhailiuk will have to show extra effort to stay with his man even against bench units.

I honestly don’t see any significant holes skill-wise. He can finish with his off-hand and has some hesitation moves when facing a rim protector. All those skills need fine-tuning and sharpening, but that will come with playing time.  Not many rookies come into the league with a reliable step back for example. Those more difficult shots are in Svi’s arsenal, but he’ll need to get comfortable before he starts making those.

Scoring against bench units is where I think he’ll shine. Pair him with good screen setters and he’ll be able to punish any type of defense. We know he’ll shoot and make a lot of threes. I have no doubt about that in my mind. He just needs some time to prove it.

Another thing to add is the speed at which he plays the game. He constantly moves without the ball and knows when to switch speeds. He makes quick reads which lead to quick passes. On top of that, he always runs in transition and runs fast.

The lineups with Bruce Brown and or Khyri Thomas seem very intriguing to me. Along with Luke Kennard, I expect all those guys to be able to contribute next year and mold themselves into a solid bench unit. The cap situation demands it.

Overall, I am very hopeful that Mykhailiuk will be a great asset to this Detroit Pistons roster. I love the qualities he brings on offense and I can definitely live with his defense. It would be a shame not to give him more playing time.