The Los Angeles Lakers made a decisive move ahead of the trade deadline, acquiring sharpshooter Luke Kennard from the Atlanta Hawks in an effort to bolster their perimeter shooting. And head coach JJ Redick wasted no time making his expectations clear.

The Lakers sent Gabe Vincent and a 2032 second-round pick to Atlanta in exchange for the veteran marksman, a career 44.2% three-point shooter who is expected to add immediate spacing and depth to the rotation. The Hawks, meanwhile, had already been active on deadline day, separately acquiring Jonathan Kuminga and Buddy Hield from the Warriors in a multi-team deal.

Redick welcomed Kennard’s arrival with a simple directive. “I’m gonna highly encourage him to shoot more,” Redick told reporters when discussing Kennard. “And not turn down shots. But I think one of the underrated parts of his game is his ability to move and create second actions and move the basketball.”

The trade news came on a chaotic night for the Lakers. Midway through their matchup against the Philadelphia 76ers, Luka Doncic left the game in the first half due to left leg soreness. The team announced that Doncic would undergo MRI testing to determine the severity of the issue and whether he’ll be able to make a quick return.

With uncertainty surrounding Doncic’s status, Kennard’s shooting could become even more valuable in the short term. For now, Redick’s message to his newest Laker is straightforward: let it fly.

JJ Redick loves the Lakers’ trade

JJ Redick has been vocal about his team’s struggles with offensive execution and slippage this season. He views the  fellow Duke alum as more than just a floor-spacer. Redick put immense value on this trade because of Kennard’s high basketball IQ.

“You’ve seen that now at a number of his stops where you can initiate the offense through off-ball movement and he will just make the right play and sort of get the offense going,” Redick noted. “So, he’ll be a corner threat and he’ll be an off-ball threat, and we’re excited to have him.”

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It sounds like Redick has already worked out the vision for Luke Kennard before he’s got off a plane at LAX. The volume shooting directive is particularly urgent given the Lakers’ current medical report.

Luke Kennard has evolved into one of the most reliable spacers in modern NBA history. He has led the league in three-point percentage in three separate seasons (2021-22, 2022-23 and 2025-26 to date) and ranks second all-time in career accuracy, first among active players.

This season, he is shooting 49.7% from three on 3.2 attempts per game with a 69.2 eFG% and 91.4 percent from the line – numbers that reflect pure shooting touch rather than a small-sample anomaly. Over nine seasons, he owns a 44.2% career mark on more than 2,200 attempts, cementing his status as a historically elite shooter.

That skill set fits naturally within JJ Redick’s offensive philosophy. The current Lakers system prioritizes early actions, constant ball movement, and heavy use of off-ball screens, a clear shift from the slower mismatch-hunting style of previous years.

Kennard is ideal for that approach: he can sprint off staggers and pin-downs, set ghost screens, and punish any defender who dares to tag away from him. His presence alone bends help coverage and opens space before he ever touches the ball.

The fit becomes even clearer alongside LeBron James and Luka Doncic. LeBron remains an elite advantage creator who thrives when the lane is clear, and parking a 45-plus-percent shooter one pass away simplifies every read he makes.

Luka’s pick-and-roll gravity has a similar effect; when Kennard lifts from the corner or shakes free along the wing, low-man defenders are forced into impossible closeouts. In actions such as Spain pick-and-roll or double-drag looks with LeBron screening for Luka, Kennard’s weak-side spacing discourages tags and unlocks short-roll playmaking.

Austin Reaves further amplifies the dynamic. With Luka and LeBron commanding the ball, Reaves as a secondary creator, and Kennard stationed above the break or in the strong-side corner, defenses are forced to choose between conceding open threes or giving up straight-line drives.

Kennard’s ability to run occasional side pick-and-rolls and hit pull-up threes adds another layer, enabling creative counters such as inverted actions with Reaves or LeBron screening for him.

Taken together, Kennard’s rare shooting accuracy is exactly what Redick’s motion-heavy offense needs – a perfect complement to the playmaking gravity of LeBron, Luka, and Reaves.