The Los Angeles Lakers have bolstered their outside shooting by acquiring guard Luke Kennard from the Atlanta Hawks, sending Gabe Vincent and a 2032 second-round draft pick in return, sources told ESPN’s Shams Charania on Thursday.
Kennard is enjoying the best 3-point shooting season of his career, converting 49.7% of his attempts from beyond the arc. His accuracy gives the Lakers a reliable floor-spacer alongside Luka Dončić, Austin Reaves, and LeBron James.
Los Angeles has struggled from deep this season, ranking 22nd in the NBA in team 3-point percentage at 34.8%. A Lakers source told ESPN’s Dave McMenamin that the team views Kennard as a “laser” — the organization’s term for elite shooters — who should benefit from the open looks created by Dončić, Reaves, and James.
Atlanta, meanwhile, acquires a veteran guard in Vincent, generates an $11 million trade exception, and adds a future draft pick.
Kennard, 29, is a career 44.2% shooter from long range and is averaging 7.9 points across 46 games in his ninth NBA season. Vincent, also 29, is posting 4.8 points per game in his seventh year in the league.
Sources added that while the Lakers will continue to evaluate potential roster upgrades ahead of the trade deadline, any additional moves will be made with an emphasis on preserving their projected $60 million in salary cap space this offseason.
