Pistons open to trading Kennard
Is it due diligence? Or are the Detroit Pistons determined to trade thirdyear guard Luke Kennard?
With today’s NBA trade deadline looming, the answer will reveal itself soon.
A source with firsthand knowledge of the situation confirmed the Pistons are receiving trade calls from teams seeking to make a deal for Kennard, a Franklin High School graduate and a 2017 firstround pick out of Duke. The source said the Pistons were not close to making a deal, as of Tuesday morning.
ESPN.com’s NBA insider Adrian Wojnarowski reported late Monday the Pistons were discussing a deal that would send Kennard to the Phoenix Suns for a first-round pick and possibly two young point guards in Elie Okobo and Jevon Carter.
The appeal is the draft pick, which would allow the Pistons to add a future asset as the franchise seeks to jump-start a rebuild.
The Suns (20-30) are 11th in the draft lottery; the Pistons (18-34) are seventh after losing in Memphis on Monday.
The Suns visited Little Caesars Arena on Wednesday.
Kennard, 23, has missed 22 consecutive games with tendinitis in both knees, but it’s expected he will ramp up rehab efforts in the coming
days to attempt to return to the court after the NBA All-Star break, which starts Feb. 14.
“It’s frustrating, but you got to do what you need to do to make sure you’re 100% so I can get back on the court and be myself,” Kennard said in late December after being shut down.
In 28 games before his injury, Kennard was averaging a career-high 15.8