LOS ANGELES — The Los Angeles Lakers unveiled their sole trade-deadline addition Saturday night, inserting veteran marksman Luke Kennard into the rotation against the Golden State Warriors at Crypto.com Arena.
The 30-year-old guard came off the bench for 26 minutes, finishing with 10 points on 4-for-7 shooting and converting 2 of 4 attempts from beyond the arc. Kennard’s first outing alongside LeBron James and a still-recovering Austin Reaves helped Los Angeles secure the win.
James, 41, has long thrived when flanked by perimeter threats and said Kennard’s arrival fits that blueprint perfectly. “He’s a really good basketball player,” James told reporters post-game. “Everybody talks about his elite shooting, but he can also put the ball on the floor, crack the defense and make the right pass.”
The four-time MVP highlighted one sequence in which Kennard declined an open three by the Lakers’ bench to hit Jarred Vanderbilt under the rim for a dunk, forcing a Warriors timeout. “That’s high-IQ basketball,” James said.
The pair also shares an Ohio connection. Kennard, a native of Middletown who starred at Franklin High School near Dayton, broke James’ Ohio high-school scoring record before attending Duke University. “I haven’t even confronted him about breaking my record yet,” James joked. “But he did play for my AAU team, so we’re even.”
Kennard enters the season leading the NBA in three-point percentage, giving Los Angeles an additional ball-handling option while the club continues to wait for extended minutes with Luka Dončić, James and Reaves all healthy at the same time.
Source: LakersNation.com
