Luke Kennard is the three-point marksman the Detroit Pistons need
Following a disappointing season from long range, the Detroit Pistons are scouring the market for three-point shooters. Will Luke Kennard be the next Piston?
Luke Kennard, the four-year marksman out of Duke, finds his way into lottery discussion. He shot just under 44 percent from deep in his final collegiate season, garnering attention from scouts across the board.
With the NBA shaping into a three-point shooting era, the Detroit Pistons find themselves on the back end of that revolution. They have been struggling in that department for years, endlessly searching for a player to put an end to their shooting woes.
Last season, Detroit’s best shooter from deep, Reggie Bullock, only connected on a sub-optimal 38.4 percent. Bullock saw sporadic action outside of mop-up duty for a good portion of the season, only appearing in 31 games.
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His three-point shot, while one of the best in the draft, is not all that comes with Kennard. The 6’6″ guard also averaged 19.5 points per game and shot 52.5 percent from two-point range in his senior year.
Kennard is a skilled scorer, but the big question is whether or not his game can elevate to the NBA level.
There has been numerous amounts of scorers come and go throughout the draft years (Jimmer Fredette and Doug McDermott chief among them), most of which not living up to their potential. Much is the case for countless three-point shooting prospects, who tend to never fully adjust to the play style of the NBA.
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With the skeptics comes the optimists. And optimism is high on shooting stud Luke Kennard.
The Detroit Pistons have a gaping hole at the shooting guard position and will look to fill that hole come draft day. Kennard, whom the Pistons undoubtedly know can shoot the lights out, should be atop their draft board.
Assuming Kentavious Caldwell-Pope is back on a max contract next fall, Luke Kennard would slot into the second unit.
With Ish Smith running the point and Luke Kennard and Stanley Johnson manning the wing, the Pistons all of a sudden have depth on the bench. This would also lift the heavy burden off of Caldwell-Pope, allowing him to get much needed rest during games.
Luke Kennard is not a strong defender, an area the Detroit Pistons also lack. With his 6’6″ frame and quick mobility, however, expect Kennard to transform into an elite defender in the NBA.
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Detroit undoubtedly needs two things: a shooting guard and a three-point marksman. Luke Kennard fills both of those needs. With his immaculate range and scoring ability, Kennard brings a scoring threat virtually unparalleled by other prospects in the draft.