Lakers Add Luke Kennard, But Deadline Quiet Leaves Bigger Questions Unanswered
Luke Kennard can flat-out shoot. There’s no debating that.
He’s a career 44% sniper from beyond the arc - the kind of guy who can stretch a defense just by stepping on the floor. And now, he’s wearing purple and gold.
But while Kennard’s shooting brings real value, especially to a Lakers team that’s often starved for spacing, this move alone doesn’t shift the balance of power in the Western Conference.
The Lakers front office knows that. Kennard isn’t a needle-mover in the way a top-tier wing defender or a versatile two-way guard might’ve been.
That’s part of why the fan base is so frustrated. The team sat out the trade deadline in terms of blockbuster moves, and Monday night’s 119-110 loss to Oklahoma City only highlighted the gap between where the Lakers are and where they want to be.
Yes, the Lakers were without Luka Dončić. But the Thunder were missing Shai Gilgeous-Alexander - their best player - and still looked like the more complete, composed team down the stretch.
That’s the kind of game where a true difference-maker can swing momentum. Kennard, for all his shooting prowess, isn’t that guy.
And the tough pill to swallow? Players who are that guy were available.
Instead, the Lakers opted for continuity and patience. Rob Pelinka and the front office seem content to ride out the season with this group, hoping for internal improvement and maybe a summer splash.
It’s not a teardown, but it’s also not a push-all-the-chips-in kind of season. For a franchise that’s always measured itself in championships, that’s a tough sell - especially when LeBron James is still playing at an elite level and time is ticking.
This isn’t a reaction to one game in February. It’s a reflection of a pattern.
The Lakers have hovered around the middle of the Western pack all season, showing flashes of potential but also revealing glaring holes. Monday night was just another reminder: the current roster doesn’t have enough depth or high-end talent to consistently beat the league’s best.
That reality has led to some tough rotations - more Jaxson Hayes minutes than you'd like, and Marcus Smart taking 16 shots in a game. It’s not a lack of effort. It’s a lack of options.
LeBron, as always, cut straight to the point after the loss.
“You want me to compare us to them? That’s a championship team right there. We’re not.”
That’s not throwing teammates under the bus. That’s a veteran who’s seen it all, recognizing the difference between a playoff team and a title contender.
The Thunder, young as they are, look like the real deal. The Lakers?
They’re hoping to stay afloat and maybe catch lightning in a bottle come April.
There’s still time to right the ship - and with LeBron and Anthony Davis, anything is possible in a seven-game series. But the margin for error is razor-thin, and the deadline was a chance to give this team a little more breathing room. Instead, they stood pat.
Kennard will help. He’ll knock down big shots, space the floor, and fit in seamlessly.
But the Lakers needed more than a shooter. They needed a jolt.
And with LeBron’s future uncertain beyond this season, choosing to wait feels like a gamble that might not pay off.
For now, the Lakers are what they are - a good team with great players, but not quite enough to chase banner No. 18.