featured-image

In Case You Missed It: Rounding up Pistons Draft Grades

The Pistons selected Luke Kennard with the 12th overall pick on Thursday night and the draft grades are pouring in. Here are five quick reviews of our selection:

Jordan Schultz, Yahoo Sports The Pistons got an absolute stud in Duke’s Luke Kennard. The misconception around him has been that he’s merely a shooter. It couldn’t be further from the truth: Kennard, with his unparalleled footwork and shiftiness as a lefty, flourishes on and off the ball. He is a creative playmaker – one executive compared him to Manu Ginobili – who finishes well in the lane and will become an effective pick-and-roll guy in time. Perhaps best of all, Kennard converted 44 percent of his 3-pointers as a sophomore last season, displaying legitimate NBA range while doing so. Grade: A+

Jeremy Woo, Sports Illustrated 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 who should be solid, if not spectacular. Based on what was available, Kennard was a strong choice. Grade: B+

Sam Vecenie, Sporting News The Pistons were among the worst shooting teams in the NBA last season, so it makes sense for them to add one of the best shooters in the draft in Kennard. He'll also help with their ball-handling/point guard issues, as he'll be able to occasionally slide over and run some offense. An excellent fit here. Grade: A-

Adam Fromal, Bleacher Report 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. Grade: A-

Reid Forgrave & Jack Maloney, CBS Sports Smart player, smart pick. A great shooter but not just shooter - he's a scorer. Fits need. Grade: A