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Although the Detroit Pistons have struggled to reach the playoffs recently, former players have made an impact on their current teams this postseason.
Former Detroit Pistons who made the playoffs: 8. Luke Kennard
Since leaving Detroit, Kennard has reached the Western Conference Finals and led the league in three-point shooting percentage.
Luke Kennard is one of many to benefit since leaving the Detroit Pistons. For starters, he’s gained valuable postseason exposure. With Detroit, his first and last playoff stint was in 2019, when the Bucks swept Detroit in an unimpressive first-round series. Since then, Luke Kennard has proven to be a valuable asset to any team looking for a scoring option off the bench.
He reached the Western Conference Finals with the Clippers in 2020. In his first year with the Grizzlies, he shot 50 percent from 3-point range in the first round of the playoffs against the Lakers.
The Detroit Pistons drafted Luke Kennard with the 12th overall pick in the 2017 NBA Draft. Kennard was a standout shooter at Duke University. It was clear that a role was soon to be carved out for Kennard. However, his first season as a full-time starter for the Pistons was cut short due to bilateral knee tendinitis, followed by a COVID-19 suspension. A year later, in November of 2020, Kennard was traded to the Los Angeles Clippers as part of a three-team deal and the rest is history.
After an impressive stint with the Clippers, Kennard was traded again in the middle of the 2023 season to the Memphis Grizzlies. He’s now set a franchise record with ten threes.