KU basketball’s Devonté Graham, Svi Mykhailiuk shipped out as NBA trade deadline passes

Former University of Kansas men’s basketball guards Devonté Graham and Svi Mykhailiuk have been dealt by their respective NBA teams ahead of the league’s trade deadline.

Graham, a 27-year-old point guard in his second season with the New Orleans Pelicans after three seasons in Charlotte, has been sent to the San Antonio Spurs along with four future second-round picks for Josh Richardson, according to ESPN.com.

This season Graham has averaged 5.3 points (on 36.8% shooting) and 2.2 assists per game for the Pelicans. He’s averaged 15.3 minutes a game in 53 games.

Richardson, 29, has averaged 11.5 points in 42 games for the Spurs this season. According to ESPN.com, he “provides the Pelicans with depth on the wing and future salary-cap flexibility by removing Graham’s $12.1 million from their books for the 2023-24 season.”

Mykhailiuk, a 25-year-old shooting guard who played sparingly in 13 games with the New York Knicks this season, first was traded to Portland on Wednesday but now is headed to Charlotte to be a member of the Hornets.

The Trail Blazers according to ESPN.com, acquired Mykhailiuk, Cam Reddish, Ryan Arcidiacono and a protected 2023 first-round draft pick from the Knicks for Josh Hart on Wednesday. Now, according to ESPN.com, the Charlotte Hornets acquired Mykhailiuk and 2023 and 2027 second-round picks in a three-team trade. Jalen McDaniels, a 2024 second-round pick and a 2029 second-round pick were sent to the Philadelphia 76ers and Matisse Thybulle to the Portland Trail Blazers. All this news was reported by Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN.

The Hornets according to CBSsports.com “are primarily acquiring draft picks as part of the deal, but they could also get a look at Mykhailiuk in a small role off the bench. The fifth-year wing didn’t see much playing time in the tight Knicks rotation prior to the trade, averaging 3.1 minutes in his 13 appearances this season.”

Mykhailiuk has been with seven teams in his five years in the league. He averaged 1.6 points in 13 games this year with New York.

Of Graham being traded to the Spurs, KU coach Bill Self said Thursday: “Obviously I don’t know the situation with the Spurs inside and out by any stretch. I’ve got to believe it’s a good situation for him, to be able to go somewhere and play. I’m sure he’ll get the opportunity there. With the Pelicans he’s not playing quite as much. I’m happy for him.”

Self still thinks Mykhailiuk can play significant minutes in the NBA.

“He can shoot,” Self said. “He needs to probably get some minutes so he can prove some things.”