Luke Kennard Returns to L.A., This Time in Purple and Gold
The Lakers made a move just before the trade deadline buzzer, bringing sharpshooter Luke Kennard back to Los Angeles-only this time, he’s suiting up for the other team in town. In a deal with the Atlanta Hawks, the Lakers acquired Kennard in exchange for guard Gabe Vincent and a 2032 second-round pick. Atlanta also walks away with an $11 million trade exception, giving them some future flexibility.
For the Lakers, this is a move that speaks directly to their needs. Kennard isn’t just a good shooter-he’s one of the most efficient marksmen in the league.
This season, he’s connecting on a blistering 49.7% of his threes, while averaging 7.9 points in just over 20 minutes per game. That level of floor spacing is exactly what head coach JJ Redick needs to open up lanes for the Lakers’ stars and keep defenses honest.
And this isn’t a flash-in-the-pan shooting stretch either. Kennard’s been doing this for years.
Over the course of his eight-year NBA career, he’s a 44.2% shooter from deep, with a smooth lefty stroke that travels well in any system. He’s also a career 88.3% free throw shooter-another sign of just how pure his shot is.
Financially, the move is a low-risk play for L.A. Kennard is on an expiring deal with an $11 million salary for 2025-26, which fits the Lakers' timeline as they look to remain competitive while keeping future options open. With career earnings north of $77 million, Kennard brings veteran experience without long-term financial commitment.
For Atlanta, the trade gives them a look at Gabe Vincent-a player who’s shown flashes of two-way potential-and the added bonus of a trade exception that could come in handy down the line.
Kennard’s NBA journey has taken him from Detroit to the Clippers, Memphis, Atlanta, and now back to L.A. He was drafted 12th overall in 2017 by the Pistons, and his best statistical season came early in his career when he averaged 15.8 points per game in Detroit. Across 506 career games, he’s averaged 9.6 points per contest, consistently providing shooting and smart offensive play.
Before all that, of course, Kennard was lighting it up at Duke. In two seasons in Durham, he averaged 15.7 points, 4.3 rebounds, and 2.0 assists, but it was his sophomore year that turned heads.
He led the team with 19.5 points per game, shot 43.8% from three, and was the only unanimous first-team All-ACC selection in 2017. He also earned consensus second-team All-American honors and was named a Wooden Award All-American.
His performance in the ACC Tournament that year-20 points, 5.3 rebounds, and 2.3 assists per game-helped Duke make history as the first team to win four games in four days to take the title, earning him tournament MVP honors.
Now, nearly a decade after being drafted, Kennard returns to a city he knows well-but with a very different role. The Lakers aren’t asking him to be a star.
They’re asking him to be exactly what he is: one of the best shooters in the league, a floor-spacer, and a veteran who knows how to play his role. And if he continues to shoot the way he has this season, he could be a quietly crucial piece in L.A.’s playoff push.