Detroit Pistons: Is Svi Mykhailiuk a better prospect than Luke Kennard?

Defense

Neither Kennard nor Mykhailiuk are great individual defenders, but both have made strides in that area. Kennard is too small and lacks the strength to guard the small forward position and is not quick enough to stay in front of most shooting guards, which is a problem. He does have good hands and is a smart defender, especially off the ball.

He’s not hopeless and could be effective in the right defensive scheme, as he has good instincts for jumping passing lanes and getting his hands on the ball. Kennard has never been known for his defense and isn’t likely to get a lot better in that area.

At 6-foot-7, Mykhailiuk projects as a player who can defend multiple positions. Like Kennard, he doesn’t have great foot speed and has never been known for his defense but he has shown a high motor and hasn’t backed down from some tough defensive assignments. Mykhailiuk is stronger than Kennard and doesn’t get pushed around. Another big difference is that Mykhailiuk has shown marked improvement on the defensive end, and his defensive effort has caught the attention of Coach Casey and likely the Pistons’ front office.

Although neither player projects as an All-NBA-type defender, Mykhailiuk has the more intriguing set of tools on defense and has shown greater improvement in his short time in the league. He is taller, stronger and much more active than Kennard, which gives him the edge on the defensive end.

Advantage: Mykhailiuk