The Los Angeles Lakers have acquired sharpshooting guard Luke Kennard from the Atlanta Hawks in exchange for Gabe Vincent and a 2032 second-round draft pick.
Kennard is one of the best shooters in NBA with a career 44.2% 3-point percentage. This season, he leads the league in 3-point percentage at 49.7% and has 14 games with at least three made 3-pointers. In 46 games with the Hawks, Kennard is averaging 7.9 points, 2.2 rebounds and 2.1 assists while shooting a career-high 53.8% from the field and 91.4% from the free-throw line.
Kennard gives the Lakers the deadeye shooter this team has been lacking. The Lakers rank 22nd in the NBA in 3-point percentage and 23rd in 3-pointers made per game. Additionally, his presence on the court should help open up the floor for the Lakers’ trio of creators in Luka Doncic, Austin Reaves and LeBron James.
The consistency of Kennard has been outstanding throughout his career. In nine NBA seasons, he has never shot below 39.4% from deep and has knocked down at least 43% in each of the last six seasons.
The Lakers signed Vincent in the summer of 2023, but injuries marred his time with the franchise. He was limited to just 11 games in his first year with the team and has missed 20 games this season due to multiple different injuries.
When healthy, Vincent provided the Lakers with a solid, reliable point guard option who could defend well and provide some shooting and playmaking on offense. But the team feels it can benefit from one of the truly elite shooters this league has ever seen, a type of player that has typically thrived next to LeBron throughout his career, and there is no doubt that Kennard will see plenty of open looks playing next to the Lakers’ stars.
The Lakers will be the fifth stop of Kennard’s career as he previously spent time with the Detroit Pistons, Los Angeles Clippers and Memphis Grizzlies before signing with the Hawks this past offseason.
Kennard also spent two seasons at Duke University, the alma mater of head coach JJ Redick, and in his final season with the Blue Devils was a second team All-American.
Lakers could become ‘viable threat’ for Giannis Antetokounmpo this summer
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