Detroit Pistons: Who should be part of the long-term core?

1. Luke Kennard

The most obvious candidate of the bunch is the sweet-shooting Luke Kennard. He can lead the team’s 3-point barrage every season, and he can pour in points in a hurry. He isn’t the most defensive-minded player, but he more than makes up for that with the offense that he is able to generate. That’s the type of player the team needs to offset the offense they don’t get from guys like Thomas and Brown.

Kennard has had an up-and-down first couple of seasons with the Pistons, especially this year where there were nights when he would basically not see the floor at all unless they were in garbage time. As the season has worn on, he has gotten his shot to fall more and more consistently, and his minutes are going up as well.

The key for Kennard next season and moving forward is to work to get his body in the best shape possible, and he needs to force himself into the rotation. He can be a guy that averages at least 15 points on a nightly basis, and if he gets more minutes as he should, he could even move into the 20-point range. Of the three players here, Kennard is the centerpiece the team should look to build around to be the most successful.