The Los Angeles Lakers’ lone trade deadline acquisition last season ended up being a good one as Luke Kennard came in and fit perfectly with the roster, even stepping up his game in the playoffs when key players missed time due to injury.
Getting to play for the Lakers was special for Kennard as he got to team up with LeBron James. Both players grew up in Ohio, and Kennard notably broke James’ high school state scoring record. While the future is currently up in the air for both, Kennard spoke about what he learned from James and how much he enjoyed playing with him.
“He doesn’t take the game for granted. He loves it. He loves basketball. He loves the process,” Kennard said of James. “For him to do what he’s done for this long, it’s something special. I’ve seen it first hand every single day, the way he works, the way he comes in, the way he leaves. Just the longevity of what he’s been able to do is incredible. The greatest to play the game. It’s something special.
“I don’t take it for granted, being a part of that. I wish we could’ve done more, I could’ve done more for him. We came up short, but like I said, I’m just blessed to be a part of it.”
Both Kennard and James are unrestricted free agents this offseason so it remains to be seen if either will be back with the Lakers. Recent reports indicate James is negotiating a new deal to remain in L.A., although how much it will be for is a big question mark as the organization looks to maximize its cap space.
If James does return to the Lakers then perhaps they look to bring Kennard back as well. The two Ohio natives built some solid chemistry together in the back half of last season, which wasn’t shocking considering they both have high IQs on the court and Kennard is one of the best shooters this league has ever seen.
In 307 regular season minutes sharing the court, James and Kennard had a plus-8.7 net rating.
Luke Kennard hoping to re-sign with Lakers
According to recent reports, Kennard is hoping to re-sign with the Lakers and make Los Angeles his long-term home. That interest appears to be mutual, so it will be interesting to see if they can get a deal done to keep the sharpshooter around.
If you love our reporting, choose LakersNation.com as a preferred source on Google.
