OKC Thunder: Luke Kennard another option in 2017 NBA Draft

The OKC Thunder cannot put all their eggs in one basket when it comes to Justin Jackson. He may go early. Another option in the 2017 NBA Draft could be Duke’s sharpshooter Luke Kennard.

The Oklahoma City Thunder have to find shooting at the No. 21 spot in the first round of the 2017 NBA Draft. Being able to spread the floor can go a long way for the development of the team. When you have players like Russell Westbrook, Victor Oladipo and Andre Roberson on the floor, who shoot 34.3 percent, 36.1 percent and 24.5 percent respectively, the lane can get clogged.

The Thunder need shooting to be able to complement Westbrook and Oladipo’s driving ability. Justin Jackson can be a player of that caliber but some mocks have him going No. 12 in the first round to the Detroit Pistons. If that is the case, then the Thunder will have to have another option ready to pick.

A player that fits that mold is Luke Kennard. Kennard would be a good fit because he does not have an ego and would be able to step into his role as a shooting/hustle player. He reminds people of Joe Ingles. Ingles was a breakout player for the Utah Jazz this year who helped them win a first round playoff series against the Los Angeles Clippers. They eventually lost to the Golden State Warriors in the Western Conference semifinals.

Ingles is a smart player who can shoot the ball and play defense well enough to be out there on the floor. The Thunder, if they draft Kennard, will be expecting him to play just like that.

Mar 19, 2017; Greenville, SC, USA; Duke Blue Devils guard Luke Kennard (5) shoots the ball against South Carolina Gamecocks guard Sindarius Thornwell (0) during the first half in the second round of the 2017 NCAA Tournament at Bon Secours Wellness Arena. Mandatory Credit: Jeremy Brevard-USA TODAY Sports /

Kennard has adequate footwork and he can find open spots on the floor. This trait will be good in half-court situations where Westbrook drives to the hole and looks for an open shooter. Kennard’s ability to shoot the three is what the Thunder will like the most, because that is their glaring weakness. OKC was dead last in three-shooting percentage this past season and that will have to be addressed.

In this day and age you have to be able to shoot the three-ball in order to be a relevant team. The Warriors and the Houston Rockets have revolutionized the three-point shot. Stephen Curry broke the record for the most three-pointers in a game with 13 against the Pelicans. The Houston Rockets set the record for most three-pointers made in a season with 1,181.

Drafting Kennard would be the step in the right direction with the Thunder’s shooting woes. The Thunder could use Kennard as a spring board to building a three-point shooting team like the Rockets, who beat them in five games in the first round of the playoffs.

Mar 10, 2017; Brooklyn, NY, USA; Duke Blue Devils guard Luke Kennard (5) reacts after hitting a three-point shot against the North Carolina Tar Heels during the second half of an ACC Conference Tournament game at Barclays Center. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports /

Kennard shot 43 percent from three this past year and averaged 19.5 points per game this year for the Duke Blue Devils. The best three-point shooting percentage for the Thunder this past season with at least 200 attempts was Alex Abrines, at 38 percent.

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Adding Luke Kennard would definitely be a boost to their three-point shooting and it would make the team a better threat to the new NBA, which demands that you shoot the three well. If Justin Jackson is not there at 21, he could be a good option.

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