Luke Kennard is the Grizzlies' bench bucket-getter
Luke Kennard is the Grizzlies' bench bucket-getter
While there was clamor among the fanbase for the Memphis Grizzlies to acquire a bucket-getter off the bench, the real answer is -- and always was -- Luke Kennard.
Over the offseason, there was discouse amongst the fanbase and other media personalities about the idea of the Memphis Grizzlies acquiring a bucket-getter off the bench. My mind would immediately jump.
Wait, wait, wait … they have that guy. Why bring someone to take minutes and shots away from Luke Kennard?
After acquiring the veteran sharpshooter at the trade deadline, Kennard’s impact was quite resounding quickly. In 24 games with the Grizzlies, he averaged 11.3 points and shot a blistering 54% from 3 on 5.7 attempts per game. Condensing it into when he gained more familiarity with the system and his teammates (final 12 games of the season), those numbers rose to 15.3 points per game on 56.8% shooting from 3 on 7.3 attempts.
Yes, the sample size is small — a hair over a quarter of a season, and then one collection of data built on roughly an eighth of an 82-game year. However, you can’t deny the fact that Kennard simply elevated the Grizzlies’ offense every time he stepped on the floor.
The Grizzlies scored 13 more points per 100 possessions when Luke Kennard was on the floor, per Cleaning the Glass. The only players — among players that played at least 500 non garbage-time minutes — with a higher on/off offensive rating than Kennard in Memphis: Nikola Jokic and Aaron Gordon.
In addition, he bolstered the team’s halfcourt offense. The Grizzlies scored 9.7 more points per 100 halfcourt plays with Kennard on the floor, a differential ranked in the 97th percentile per Cleaning the Glass. After the All-Star break, the Grizzlies tallied an offensive rating of 100.8 in halfcourt plays (14th league-wide), compared to 95.3 (22nd) prior.
There are other factors tied into it — Jaren Jackson Jr.’s dominance, a healthy Desmond Bane, and a favorable schedule elevating those marks. Luke Kennard’s arrival and presence off the bench served as a catalyst as well.
His 3-point shooting is the obvious indication of his halfcourt impact. Last season, Kennard led the league in 3-point shooting at 49.4% — the gap between him and 2nd (44.6%) was as wide as 2nd and 38th (39.8%). He shot 52.6% on catch-and-shoot 3’s and 49.1% on corner 3’s, good shooting indicators for drive-and-kick opportunities.
Kennard’s presence on the floor leaves teams with a massive “pick your poison” — show less help on drives, or leave an elite shooter open from 3. Leaving him in the weak-side corner, a common slot for shooters within the offense, generates looks for when his man helps off him. His shot relocation also benefits the offense in drive-and-kick systems, moving to a visible spot within the driver’s vision.
Deploying as many perimeter threats as possible is a necessity for a system around the trio of a dominant driver like Ja Morant, and budding live-dribble weapons in Desmond Bane and Jaren Jackson Jr.
The Grizzlies have also shown they can design sets to generate open looks for shooters — a facet of the offense that I’d like to see more off. Kennard’s quick release is an asset there, and movement off the ball is an area he’d like to improve in to free himself up from defenders. For a team so predicated on pick-and-roll and drive-and-kick, diversifying its offensive portfolio with designed actions for shooters goes a long way in building a formidable offense.
Kennard also has live-dribble skill as a shooter. Over the past 3 seasons, he’s been insanely good from 3 off “dribble jumpers,” per Synergy Sports:
2022-23, 26/62 (41.9%) — overall (16-35, 45.7% (Memphis) + 10-27, 37% (Clippers))
2021-22, 43/101 (42.6%)
2020-21, 31/70 (44.3%)
Kennard doesn’t have these “rock em to sleep” handles or knee-bending shiftiness. He seeks 3-point attempts in transition, catching the defense anticipating for the Grizzlies to set into halfcourt offense. Or, he uses the dribble to generate an extra dose of separation when coming off screens.
The dissectible element of Kennard’s offensive game is his 2-point shooting. With the Grizzlies, he converted on just 47.1% of his 2’s, and only has 1 season where that number was above 50 percent. He doesn’t provide a lot of rim pressure either; his rim field goal percentage and frequency have been in the 12th percentile or lower in each of the past 2 seasons. Any sort of rim pressure he applies would likely come in the form of hitting rollers or cutters.
The intriguing element in his game inside the arc comes within the mid-range.
He has a feathery jumper around the elbows — a weapon utilized when attacking closeouts, and more often through handoffs and screens. His footwork is clean as well, maintaining good positioning on his jumper when generating separation from the defense.
Want to know what’s so promising about this component of his offense? Luke Kennard hasn’t logged a single second on the floor with Steven Adams. Though he still has room to grow inside the arc — only attempted 14 2’s off handoffs (9 made, 64.2%), but only made 36.7% of his 49 shots in 2021-22 — playing alongside an elite screener could amplify his mid-range game.
While Kennard doesn’t have the traditional “bench bucket-getter game” — immense rim pressure, dazzling ball-handling, and tough shot-making (shot-taking?) ability — his elite 3-point shooting elevates the Grizzlies’ offense and fits with the Grizzlies’ stars.
Kennard with Bane ON: +20.4 NET rating, 130.3 offensive rating, 109.9 defensive rating, 535 possessions (regular season)
Kennard with Bane, Jaren ON: +20.0 NET rating, 132 offensive rating, 111.5 defensive rating, 119 possessions (regular season)
Kennard with Ja/Bane/Jaren ON (Brooks off): +34.6, 134.6 ORTG, 100.0 DRTG, 52 possessions (playoffs)
Going into a full offseason and training camp, the goal should be to continue to amplify his strengths, similar to the end of the regular season. And that seems to be an objective for the Grizzlies, both as a scorer and as a playmaker.
The coaching staff and teammates are on his case to shoot. In the playoffs, Jenkins expressed that they “got to find the best shooter in the NBA” — the opposite of the notions he has to shoot more elsewhere. And Kennard is a key fixture for this team’s long-term plans.
“We’re really excited about as a long-term piece for this team. Encouraged by what we can do with our existing pieces in a halfcourt setting by adding not just an OK shooter, but an otherworldly shooter in Luke Kennard. Excited about what he brings to the table. Shooting is important in the playoffs, not lost on us. - Zach Kleiman
The Memphis Grizzlies should continue to empower Luke Kennard to let it fly off the bench. The returns on their trade-deadline acquisition show it’s a sound strategy for success.
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