Getty Luke Kennard #5 of the Detroit Pistons celebrates a second half three point basket with Bruce Brown #6 while playing the Minnesota Timberwolves.
The Detroit Pistons and Phoenix Suns are in discussions about a trade that would send Luke Kennard out west in exchange for a first-round pick, per ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski.
Detroit and Phoenix are discussing a deal centered on guard Luke Kennard, league sources tell ESPN. Suns’ first-round pick is in play. Kennard has missed 22 straight games with bilateral knee tendinitis.
Kennard has only appeared in 28 games for the Pistons because of his knee woes. The 2017 No. 12 overall pick is in the third year of his rookie-scale contract and he’ll be eligible for an extension this offseason.
Suns VP of basketball operations Jeff Bower joined the team over the summer. He was the Pistons’ GM when the club drafted Kennard.
Jevon Carter, Elie Okobo, and a first-round pick could be the potential framework of the deal.
Pistons Have More Moves To Make?
The Pistons are listening to offers on Andre Drummond and the Hornets are interested in the big man, as our own Brandon ‘Scoop B’ Robinson confirms.
Charlotte may have interest in dealing away a package of Nicolas Batum and Malik Monk for the center. Drummond would be a nice addition to the team’s young core of Devonte’ Graham, Terry Rozier, Miles Bridges, and P.J. Washington.
The Hawks were linked to Drummond earlier in the year, though that interest has cooled off as far as a trade goes. Atlanta and Detroit spoke about a deal that would send either Chandler Parsons, Damian Jones and a future first-round pick to Detroit for the big man. However, Atlanta has the ability to sign Drummond outright in the summer and will likely wait until then to pursue him.
The Clippers and Mavericks are both also rumored to have interest in Drummond.
Timberwolves Interested In Kyle Kuzma
The Lakers appear to be open to dealing Kyle Kuzma and the Minnesota Timberwolves have an interest in the forward.
Kuzma is one of several names the franchise is monitoring leading up to the trade deadline on Thursday.
It was reported in early January that the Lakers were exploring ways to land Robert Covington. The rumored package was said to Kuzma, DeMarcus Cousins, and Quinn Cook. No word on whether that moves the needle for Minnesota, though the team is rumored to be looking for multiple first-rounders for Covington.
Kuzma is in the third year of his rookie deal. He is making $1.97M this season and he’ll take home $3.56M next season, though he is eligible for a rookie-scale extension in the summer.
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