Detroit Pistons: Complete 2017 offseason grades

Drafting Luke Kennard

The value of draft position is so dependent on the class. Despite the 2017 group’s early reputation as a special one, No. 12 was not as desirable a spot as in other years.

Given that the Pistons sat right outside this supposed 11-player draft, they had three reasonable choices: trade the pick, draft Luke Kennard or draft Donovan Mitchell.

Mitchell was the most popular option at the time, and an impressive NBA Summer League has turned him into an early “steal” for the Utah Jazz, who traded up to draft him at No. 13. But if you take Summer League for what it is — NBA-style basketball played by mostly non-NBA players — Kennard’s performance was more impressive.

While Mitchell picked on inferior athletes and ball-handlers, Kennard flashed consistency from NBA range, an adept pick-and-roll game and advanced scoring moves.

It is still unclear what Mitchell is. He has the strength and length to play the 3, but nowhere near the height (he’s 6’3″). He is years away from conceivably running the point, and probably a year or two away from hitting NBA 3-pointers consistently as an off-guard.

Kennard is a prototypical 2. He is 6’6″, stretches the floor, can serve as a secondary ball-handler and threatens the defense as an on-ball or off-ball scorer. He will never be a switch guy, but defending shooting guards well is within reach given his frame and adequate agility.

It is easy to look at a pick like Kennard and not be blown away. But when a team makes the right choice, especially when it is unpopular at the time, they deserve full credit.

Grade: A