The former Blue Devil shooting guard returned to the Grizzlies after the franchise declined his option.
Former Duke standout Luke Kennard has signed a one-year contract to return to his current squad, becoming the latest former Blue Devil to leave the free agent market this offseason.
According to published sources, the 6-foot-5 shooting guard has signed a one-year contract with the Memphis Grizzlies worth up to $11 million.
Kennard returns to the franchise after playing 39 games for the team previous season, averaging 11.0 points, 2.9 rebounds, and 3.5 assists per game with shooting splits of.448/.450/.889.
Despite the reported face value of the arrangement, only $9.25 million is guaranteed, with the majority of the income contingent on what are considered implausible performance incentives.
Both the player and the franchise have been working toward a reunion since the Grizzlies declined their $14.8 million team option in June. The franchise was drawn to Kennard because of his career three-point shooting percentage of.439, which is among the top three all-time.
Kennard attended Duke for two seasons (2016 and 2017), averaging 1.8 points, 3.6 rebounds, and 1.5 assists a game as a freshman before increasing his numbers significantly as a sophomore to 19.5 points, 5.1 rebounds, and 2.5 assists. Kennard led the team in three-point shooting (.438) and free throw percentage (.856) during his second season, earning first-team All-ACC and second-team All-American honors.
Overall, the Franklin (OH) native appeared in 73 Blue Devils games, starting 47 of them and averaging 15.7 points, 4.3 rebounds, and 2.0 assists. In the postseason, he played in five NCAA Tournament games, averaging 10.0 points and 5.2 rebounds.
Prior to signing with the Blue Devils, Kennard was a consensus top 25 player in the 2015 class, winning McDonald’s All-American honors and being named Parade National Player of the Year. He also competed for the United States Junior National Select Team in the 2015 Nike Hoop Summit and averaged 13.8 points and 3.2 rebounds per game in helping the United States earn gold at the 2014 FIBA Americas U18 Championship.
After the 2017 season, Kennard entered the NBA Draft alongside teammates Jayson Tatum, Harry Giles, and Frank Jackson. The Detroit Pistons selected him with the No.12 pick, and he played for them from 2017 to 2020 before being moved to the Los Angeles Clippers in November 2020. Kennard continued with Los Angeles until February 2023, when he was transferred to Memphis.
