What grades did the Detroit Pistons get for their Draft?

Jun 22, 2017; Brooklyn, NY, USA; Luke Kennard (Duke) puts on a cap as he is introduced as the number twelve overall pick to the Detroit Pistons in the first round of the 2017 NBA Draft at Barclays Center. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports
Jun 22, 2017; Brooklyn, NY, USA; Luke Kennard (Duke) puts on a cap as he is introduced as the number twelve overall pick to the Detroit Pistons in the first round of the 2017 NBA Draft at Barclays Center. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports /
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Let’s take a look an overall look at the draft grades that the Detroit Pistons received from various sources by drafting the sharpshooter from Duke University, Luke Kennard.

16 Wins a Ring – Kevin Nesgoda

Grade: A-

"Analysis: The Detroit Pistons needed some depth, I thought they could have used a bit more in the forward area, but a shooter off the bench will do just fine here. He doesn’t have great length, he’s not fast, and can’t jump that high, but his footwork is exceptional, moves off screens well and gets shots off while knocking down a huge percentage of them. He’s not going to be a starter in the NBA unless a team is looking to tank. Kennard will probably be the worst defender on the floor when he is on the court, but that is not for lack of effort on his part. He has an amazing work ethic and that should help him not fall too far on the depth chart."

Sports Illustrated – Jeremy Woo

Grade: B+

"Analysis: The Pistons were hoping someone would fall to No. 12 from the top group of prospects, but will be happy to bring in Kennard, who elevated his stock over the past month and is one of the draft’s top three-point shooters. Detroit needed floor-spacers, and gets a tough, intelligent player here who should be solid, if not spectacular. Based on what was available, Kennard was a strong choice."

Related Story: Stan Van Gundy addresses Luke Kennard's strengths, weaknesses

CBS Sports – Reid Forgrave & Jack Maloney

Grade: A

"Analysis: Smart player, smart pick. A great shooter but not just shooter – he’s a scorer. Fits need."

The Ringer – Jonathon Tjarks

Grade: Value = C, Fit = A

"Analysis: It’s hard to avoid comparing Kennard to J.J. Redick, another elite 3-point shooter from Duke who was taken in the later lottery and had questions about his defensive upside when he came into the league. Redick is the best-case scenario for Kennard, but he changed his body in his first few seasons in the NBA and maximized every bit of his upside. It’s just as likely that Kennard becomes (former Piston) Jodie Meeks with less shot-creation ability. Stan Van Gundy’s teams always need 3-point shooting, so there should be playing time for the Duke product right away, but this might have been a situation where a coach/GM opted for immediate help rather than taking someone with more long-term upside."

Bleacher Report – Adam Fromal

Grade: A-

"Analysis: The former Duke standout is a solid athlete, even if he doesn’t possess the hops that typically go hand-in-hand with lottery wings. His 6’5″ wingspan won’t help him on the defensive end, either. But so long as he drills triples, the other aspects of his game—smart positional defense and a knack for secondary playmaking are chief among them—won’t matter much.During his sophomore season for the Blue Devils, Kennard took 5.4 treys per game and connected on 43.8 percent of them. Those are elite numbers, and undergoing slight regression as he adjusts to the NBA’s three-point arc will still leave him operating as one of the best shooters Detroit has rostered in quite some time."

SB Nation – Tom Ziller

Grade: Where’s Grayson Allen tonight?

"Analysis: Stan Van Gundy realizes he never should have traded Kyle Singler for Reggie Jackson and rights his wrong"

USA Today – Adi Joseph

Grade: B-

"Analysis: Kennard is one of the draft’s best shooters and more versatile than he gets credit for being. He’s also tough and could be a good defender. The real question here is what this means for the Pistons’ future with starting shooting guard Kentavious Caldwell-Pope. Caldwell-Pope might be the Pistons’ best player and is a natural shooting guard, like Kennard, but they both are big enough to play together on the wings. Still, Donovan Mitchell’s positional versatility and athleticism might have been the better fit here, given the Pistons already have plenty of good shooters."

My Grade: B-

My Analysis: As most people have identified Kennard fills a few different obvious needs for the Detroit Pistons. The Detroit Pistons finished 28th last season in three-point shooting, 26th in points per game, and they also lack a clear back up Shooting Guard. Luke Kennard should be able to come in and help with all three of those things. He shot an elite 43.8 percent from the college three-point line, and has a real scoring instinct.

The issue I have with the pick is the long-term outlook. I can see the immediate fit for Kennard, however long-term there are some concerns. His short wingspan suggests he won’t ever be a great defender. In my opinion there were options that could’ve helped now and seem like better long-term prospects, such as Donovan Mitchell and Justin Jackson, time will tell though.

Next: Luke Kennard fills major need for the Detroit Pistons

Earlier I asked the twitter world how the Detroit Pistons did with a poll. At the time of writing this 39 percent of people gave the Pistons a grade of B.

What do you all think?