Pistons exercise fourth-year team option on guard Luke Kennard

The Pistons are holding on to what looks to be one of the big pieces of their future.

They announced Thursday that they will exercise the team option for 2020-21 for guard Luke Kennard, who was the 12th pick in the 2017 draft.

Kennard, 23, is in the third year of his rookie-scale deal and is slated to make $5.3 million next season. The 6-foot-5 shooting guard is the Pistons’ best young prospect.

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He’s one of just five players with guaranteed contracts for next season, along with Blake Griffin, Derrick Rose, rookie Sekou Doumbouya and Khyri Thomas.

Last season, Kennard averaged 9.7 points, 2.9 rebounds and shot 39 percent on 3-pointers, playing in 63 games, including 10 starts. In his first career playoff appearance last season, Kennard averaged 15 points and four rebounds and shot 60 percent on 3-pointers in the four-game sweep to the Milwaukee Bucks.

Rod.Beard@detroitnews.com

Twitter: @detnewsRodBeard