Grade the Kennard trade!

[bstein14]

Kennard's deal is only $14 million per year guaranteed. The MLE is $10 million per year and guys getting that are often bench player 6th or 7th man type guys.

I think $14 million for a guy that is capable of scoring an efficient 16 to 20 PPG is a fine deal. We would have been our starting SG this season and most likely our leading scorer or near the top for us.

He does have $2 million per year in incentives (bonuses) he can hit that are considered "likely" which is probably something like playing in at least 70 games in the season. I doubt its tied to performance its most likely tied to staying healthy.

I personally would rather have Kennard at 4 years $60 million than Grant at 3 years $60 million.

[NYPiston]

The problem with Kennard isn't his ability to score, it's his chronic knee issues and inability to play defense. He's the type of player that will get you buckets but give up more on his own end, add in the injury issues and it would have been a risky contract.

With that said, the trade was a clear overpay. I like Bey but a supposed rebuilding team like the Pistons should never EVER give up that much draft capital (no matter what you think of 2nds), in addition to a decent asset in Kennard mind you, and they did this for the second straight year with the Sirividis trade up last season.

Anyway, not getting Wood signed and blowing their wad on Grant and Plumlee while stretching several players just to fit those guys in was far more egregious than the Kennard trade. Hayes and Wood would have been a PERFECT fit together, Wood is tailor made for playing with a PnR guard like Hayes. He's going to kill it with Wall. So stupid

[mattao313]

His contract is in line other shooters/SGs people saying this is huge overpay are silly.

Davis Bertans 5/80
Joe Harris 4/75
bogdan bogdanovic 4/72

Market value

[NYPiston]

His contract is in line other shooters/SGs people saying this is huge overpay are silly.

Davis Bertans 5/80
Joe Harris 4/75
bogdan bogdanovic 4/72

Market value

Those guys are all a bit better than Kennard IMO and don't have the chronic knee issues. Even if you'd consider them to be equals, the knee issues make Kennard more of a risk.
In any event, I don't think it's a massive overpay for Kennard but I wouldn't be comfortable giving him that deal.

[mattao313]

His contract is in line other shooters/SGs people saying this is huge overpay are silly.

Davis Bertans 5/80
Joe Harris 4/75
bogdan bogdanovic 4/72

Market value

Those guys are all a bit better than Kennard IMO and don't have the chronic knee issues. Even if you'd consider them to be equals, the knee issues make Kennard more of a risk.
In any event, I don't think it's a massive overpay for Kennard but I wouldn't be comfortable giving him that deal.

He makes less or has less years so it's fine. Imo he is just as good.

[NYPiston]

He makes less or has less years so it's fine. Imo he is just as good.

This is why I think the other guys are better.
Harris is a far better defender, bigs like Bertans who can shoot always hold a lot of value and Bogdanovic is more dynamic.
Also, again, the knee issues. It's something that has plagued him for a few years and is a real risk going forward. Kennard does have age on his side.

With that said, the trade was an overpay no doubt.

[mattao313]

This is why I think the other guys are better.
Harris is a far better defender, bigs like Bertans who can shoot always hold a lot of value and Bogdanovic is more dynamic.
Also, again, the knee issues. It's something that has plagued him for a few years and is a real risk going forward. Kennard does have age on his side.

With that said, the trade was an overpay no doubt.

Eh not gonna argue you down but Bertans is a terrible defender, Joe Harris is better but also older, imo he is better than Bogdanovic.
Either way it'd rather have Kennard and bey over Grant and the C we drafted. Better fit to develop young guys and not a selfish me player like grant

[440BB]

Luke just got a $9-10m raise for his first season back from knee issues, and three more seasons guaranteed. I would have expected something shorter, three years with the third being team option. He hasn't proven he'll be consistently available.

The first thing one thinks of is whether he can stay on the court, not whether he can upgrade his game. That's a dangerous bet with four years of guaranteed money that I'm glad we didn't make. I prefer the risk Weaver took that Grant's offense will improve a bit while his defense and energy contribute every night.

[Snakebites]

Kennard's deal is only $14 million per year guaranteed. The MLE is $10 million per year and guys getting that are often bench player 6th or 7th man type guys.

I think $14 million for a guy that is capable of scoring an efficient 16 to 20 PPG is a fine deal. We would have been our starting SG this season and most likely our leading scorer or near the top for us.

He does have $2 million per year in incentives (bonuses) he can hit that are considered "likely" which is probably something like playing in at least 70 games in the season. I doubt its tied to performance its most likely tied to staying healthy.

I personally would rather have Kennard at 4 years $60 million than Grant at 3 years $60 million.

The deal is fine if you’re assuming he’s healthy.

Unless his knees are a lot better than we’ve been lead to believe, I think it is a bad deal.

[BDM22]

When it comes to free agent spending, would you rather have Jerami Grant at $20M/year or Kennard at $16M/year? I'd probably lean toward Grant since he can play defense and doesn't have the injury history but both are big overpays. Grant should have gotten $16M and Kennard $12M.

It's early, but it seems like Kennard is wayyyy better than Grant on offense. Grant plays like you'd expect a rookie would on that end. He frequently gets himself into bad spots and then ends up having to force something that isn't there. I'm sure this will improve, but I don't know how much.

Also, the fact that he left Denver to come here and be "the man" on a far worse team is a little concerning TBH.

[The_Irony]

Also, the fact that he left Denver to come here and be "the man" on a far worse team is a little concerning TBH.

Denver offered him the same money and he didnt take it. In what world can someone wanting a bigger role be a negative?

The jeremi grant “wanting to be the man” narrative also has to die as Superstars do not get 20mill a season. Its obvious hes behind jokic, and murray, and denver has also invested alot in MPJ. Theres nothing wrong with taking the opportunity to be more valuable to a team and he wasnt signed to be the #1 option

[edmunder_prc]

Announcers just mentioned that Kennard is having knee problems. What they said was, "And he (Kennard) is playing on that bad knee".

This is the LAL/LAC game opening night. Anyone else hear that? He might still have knee tendonitis.

[Sort]

Yeah, the difference here is not that Kennard is injury prone. He's not an accident waiting to happen. His knees just can't do the NBA schedule. It's not really an injury if that's just how your knees are - like saying someone is injured because they are short. Unless the Clippers have a medical staff with a really different take or approach or believe conditioning can cure it, they just wasted a lot of money.

[tmorgan]

Datsa lot of money for 9 minutes and 1 shot in a half.

[BDM22]

Also, the fact that he left Denver to come here and be "the man" on a far worse team is a little concerning TBH.

Denver offered him the same money and he didnt take it. In what world can someone wanting a bigger role be a negative?

It would be one thing if he were in Denver playing 15mpg or something. Then I could certainly understand wanting to leave and have a bigger role. But leaving a team that will make deep playoff runs in which you have a big role to go to a team that is perennially terrible just at the chance to take a few more shots definitely indicates that a player cares more about getting numbers than winning games at this point in his career.

Either that or he really didn’t get along with some people over in Denver.

[Pharaoh]

Or he wants to push himself to be a better player as opposed to settling for life as a 3rd, 4th or 5th option?

Jokic
Grant
MPJ
Barton/Harris
Murray

Probably forgetting someone too!

Also, the fact that he left Denver to come here and be "the man" on a far worse team is a little concerning TBH.

Denver offered him the same money and he didnt take it. In what world can someone wanting a bigger role be a negative?

It would be one thing if he were in Denver playing 15mpg or something. Then I could certainly understand wanting to leave and have a bigger role. But leaving a team that will make deep playoff runs in which you have a big role to go to a team that is perennially terrible just at the chance to take a few more shots definitely indicates that a player cares more about getting numbers than winning games at this point in his career.

Either that or he really didn’t get along with some people over in Denver.

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[BDM22]

Or he wants to push himself to be a better player as opposed to settling for life as a 3rd, 4th or 5th option?

Jokic
Grant
MPJ
Barton/Harris
Murray

Probably forgetting someone too!

Denver offered him the same money and he didnt take it. In what world can someone wanting a bigger role be a negative?

It would be one thing if he were in Denver playing 15mpg or something. Then I could certainly understand wanting to leave and have a bigger role. But leaving a team that will make deep playoff runs in which you have a big role to go to a team that is perennially terrible just at the chance to take a few more shots definitely indicates that a player cares more about getting numbers than winning games at this point in his career.

Either that or he really didn’t get along with some people over in Denver.

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Perhaps it’s just that he’s grossly overestimating his abilities as a player. From an outside perspective one can clearly see that Grant is a solid 4th-5th option guy on a winning team. A Tayshaun Prince type. Denver is the perfect situation for him and they wanted to keep him!

And from our perspective the point still stands. You want the Grant from Denver who plays his role well, but do you want that same guy playing outside of his abilities? Because that seems to be his only motivation to come to Detroit.

[Pharaoh]

Or you want that versatile defender, the catch and shoot guy (given the usage rate of Rose and Blake are likely to still have) while still being open to the possibility that he can expand his game and become something more?

I got zero opinion on Grant until the season is over. Until then I'm trying to remain optimistic on his addition.

Or he wants to push himself to be a better player as opposed to settling for life as a 3rd, 4th or 5th option?

Jokic
Grant
MPJ
Barton/Harris
Murray

Probably forgetting someone too!

It would be one thing if he were in Denver playing 15mpg or something. Then I could certainly understand wanting to leave and have a bigger role. But leaving a team that will make deep playoff runs in which you have a big role to go to a team that is perennially terrible just at the chance to take a few more shots definitely indicates that a player cares more about getting numbers than winning games at this point in his career.

Either that or he really didn’t get along with some people over in Denver.

Sent from my SM-G781B using RealGM mobile app

Perhaps it’s just that he’s grossly overestimating his abilities as a player. From an outside perspective one can clearly see that Grant is a solid 4th-5th option guy on a winning team. A Tayshaun Prince type. Denver is the perfect situation for him and they wanted to keep him!

And from our perspective the point still stands. You want the Grant from Denver who plays his role well, but do you want that same guy playing outside of his abilities? Because that seems to be his only motivation to come to Detroit.

Sent from my SM-G781B using RealGM mobile app

[JohnReese]

This contract means that it would have been 20% for us. Small market vs LA in a contender.

[buzzkilloton]

Kennard got the start today with Leonard out. 29mins 3/11 7 2reb 1assist 2to. Think they going to regret that contract.