The NBA finally returned on Wednesday, and the talent on display from the top teams across both conferences hit home just how far away the Phoenix Suns look from true contention right now. Buried in that worrying update was how the Detroit Pistons got so much offensively out of Duncan Robinson, a blueprint the Suns will be able to use when deploying Luke Kennard.
Surrounding Kennard with defenders key to getting best out of him
That is, if Kennard can play to begin the season at all, as right now, there is a chance he will have to sit out for the opening game versus the Portland Trail Blazers. When he returns, though, he will come off the bench, unlike Robinson, who was in from the start with the Pistons' top players and was hidden on the defensive end as a result.
Robinson finished with 21 points, a single point behind joint team leaders Cade Cunningham and Jalen Duren, and went 5-of-9 from 3-point range. Kennard averaged around three attempts from deep last season when he led the league (47.8 percent), but Head Coach Jordan Ott has already spoken about Kennard taking more threes than ever this coming season.
He will be taking the shots vacated by Grayson Allen and Royce O'Neale, but the Suns must ensure they come within the flow of the offense. Kennard is not a good defender (Robinson is both bigger and marginally better). Having him play with Dillon Brooks, Khaman Maluach, and Jordan Goodwin would seem like an ideal group to have him stretch the court for.
Oso Ighodaro is another interesting choice, while Jamaree Bouyea and even Miles Bridges could also work. New additions Duop Reath and Drew Timme might help stretch the court alongside Kennard, but that is a defensive disaster waiting to happen and highlights the fragilities the Suns have in the frontcourt department.
Kennard will remain a luxury depending on the opponent
As nice as it is to have an elite 3-point shooter in The Valley, there will be certain matchups that force Kennard off the court. For his career, he has averaged a shade over 23 minutes a night, while Robinson, in the loss to the Boston Celtics, played 28. Those five minutes are the difference between contributing even a little bit defensively or, in the case of Kennard, not at all.
He remains one of the best offseason pickups in the league, but Coach Ott will have to bend certain lineups to both get the best out of Kennard and hide his limitations. If it is good enough for the contending Pistons, then the Suns can make it work as well.
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