A lot can change for the Pistons between now and Feb. 6.
As the trade deadline approaches, they're open to moving Andre Drummond. Ditto Derrick Rose. Ditto Reggie Jackson, Langston Galloway and basically any veteran with tradable value.
Kennard, 23, feels like a piece of the Pistons' future. He's improved in each of his three seasons, and this year he's averaging 15.8 points and 4.1 assists while shooting 40 percent from three.
The 15/4/40 club features just two other players this season: Brandon Ingram and Karl-Anthony Towns. The club last season: Steph Curry and Kyrie Irving. We're talking about stars here.
Kennard lags behind the others in terms of scoring, of course. He's nevertheless becoming a valuable player in today's NBA, the type of offensive weapon Stan Van Gundy and the Pistons envisioned when they drafted him 12th overall in 2017.
Here's the problem: Injuries.
Kennard hasn't played since Dec. 21 due to knee tendinitis, an issue he's dealt with since his rookie season. He missed 19 games last year and nine games the year before that. He's due about $5.3 million next season, and then he'll be up for a raise as a restricted free agent. He's also a minus on the defensive end.
All things considered, it might make more sense for the Pistons to trade Kennard now than have to pay him later.
The club might be further amenable to a trade, per The Athletic, because of the emergence of Svi Mykhailiuk. The 22-year-old has a similar game to Kennard, including a 42 percent mark this season from three, and will cost less moving forward.
Should they move Kennard, the Pistons will likely demand a first-round pick or a promising young player in return.