Is Detroit Pistons’ Luke Kennard the next Manu Ginobili?
3. Move without the ball
Ginobili was very good at sneaking around the three-point line, using picks and getting lost behind the defense. Blake Griffin is going to draw double teams and is a good passer (just like Tim Duncan), which should mean lots of open looks for Kennard if he moves without the ball and finds the open spots.
Last season, the pair of Griffin-Kennard had a net rating of (-2), which was second worst on the team.
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One of the problems with the Kennard-Griffin combination is that Kennard did not move enough without the ball. He was often standing on the weak side watching Griffin post up, being more of spectator than anything.
Kennard reminded me of “Chubby” from “Teen Wolf”, nonchalantly eating an apple whilst the wolf did all the work. The offense was stagnant and predictable, especially late in the season.
If the Pistons want to take the next step offensively they need more motion off the ball, crisper passing and less predictable plays. This starts with Kennard moving off the ball, being better at using screens and not just standing around as a spectator to Teen Wolf Blake.
Like Ginobili, Kennard is an above average 3-point shooter, but unlike Ginobili, he does not move well without the ball, which is something he can learn from Manu.