Grizzlies' Luke Kennard: Held under 20 minutes in debut

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Kennard (foot) logged 18 minutes and finished with six points (2-4 FG, 1-2 3Pt, 1-2 FT), two assists and one rebound in Wednesday's 131-114 win over the Lakers.

Sidelined for the Grizzlies' first eight contests of the season with a left foot muscle strain, Kennard made enough progress in his recovery to make his 2024-25 debut Wednesday. He handled a light role off the bench against the Lakers, but his minutes could pick up in the games to come while the Grizzlies are without starting wings Desmond Bane (oblique) and Marcus Smart (ankle) for the foreseeable future. Santi Aldama and rookie second-round pick Jaylen Wells are currently filling in on the top unit, but if the Grizzlies want to prioritize floor spacing, opening up more playing time for Kennard -- a career 43.9 percent three-point shooter -- could help achieve that.