From AAU games in Ohio to college gyms across the Atlantic Coast Conference to the NBA, Luke Kennard always got the same warning: “Shooter!”
LeBron James, though, has never seemed interested in putting Kennard in that neat little box.
James watched Kennard’s game develop from the days when he played on James’ AAU team in Ohio—sure, Kennard shot the lights out, but it wasn’t only that. There was the same versatility that now makes him a fitting emergency point guard for the Lakers’ shorthanded late-season push. “He’s just a ballplayer,” James said. “… People just kind of gave him the narrative of just being a shooter. But he does so many more things. He can handle the ball, he can rebound the ball, he can make plays. … And what we’re missing right now, we need it [from him]. We need it more and more than ever.”
Kennard’s role change has been showing up in the numbers, too—at least in a way that matters when the Lakers are missing Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves. Beyond being the league’s leading three-point shooter, Kennard has 31 assists in the last four games, taking on more ballhandling responsibility. The Lakers still have to finish the regular season Sunday against the Utah Jazz, and they did plenty of the heavy lifting already on Friday with a 101-73 win over the Phoenix Suns that clinched home-court advantage in the first round. Kennard had three assists with 19 points in that game.
The 29-year-old is averaging 2.3 assists per game in his NBA career and 2.5 per game for the Lakers (52-29) since he joined in a midseason trade. Without Doncic and Reaves, though, the Lakers have leaned on “offense by committee,” and during the last four games, 77.3% of the Lakers’ made field goals have been assisted. “Just being organized, controlling pace,” Kennard said of the team’s ability to share the ball in recent games. “Guys not overthinking too much, just playing within the flow of the game.”
On top of the tactical shift, there’s the human side—lately it feels like even small moments stand out. During one practice walk-through in Dallas, Kennard moved through plays at different positions, and you could almost hear the gym air settle between reps. His poise has been paramount for the team during an emotional week, JJ Redick said, and the eight-year veteran—who has cycled through five teams and been traded at midseason twice—provides steadiness. “He’s a professional,” Redick said. “He comes to work, he’s a great teammate. He does what the team asks him to do. … No matter what you sort of give him, he’ll embrace it.”
There’s also the backstory that makes this feel less random. Kennard was, in fact, a point guard in high school, he said proudly. At Franklin High, he passed James on Ohio’s all-time scoring list. He solidified his reputation as a prolific shooter at Duke. Redick, who was the Blue Devils’ career scoring leader, knows that plot twist well—he even said it with a wry smile. Redick approached Kennard after Doncic and Reaves were injured against Oklahoma City on April 2 to discuss the contingency plan: Kennard taking on more ballhandling responsibilities. The Lakers had a day of practice in Dallas, walking through several plays with Kennard at different spots. It was the only practice day they’ve had since the injuries. The rest has been more conversational—coaches, film study, and then instinct on the court.
He responded with his first career triple-double in his new role: 15 points, 11 assists and 16 rebounds in the Lakers’ loss to the Mavericks. Still, Kennard is famously hard on himself. Tuesday, after scoring 10 points with nine assists but missing both of his three-point attempts in a loss to Oklahoma City, he lamented that he wishes he was shooting better recently. During the first four games in April, he was just three for 13 (23.1%) from three-point range. Yet he still leads the league at 47.8%.
Even the finger stuff hasn’t been a clean story. Playing with a splint on his left index finger after suffering an injury in the Lakers’ win over Golden State on Thursday, the left-handed Kennard made his first three-pointer Friday, getting fouled for a four-point opportunity. He finished two for four from three-point range against the Suns and six for 12 from the floor. It was the first time he made multiple threes in a game since March 30 against Washington.
“We all feel like every time he shoots the ball, it’s gonna go in,” Redick said. “Whether that’s a floater, a middy, or a three, I think he’s got a great deal of confidence, and a lot of that comes from his preparation and his work. I think the biggest thing for us is, with our current group, having those other ballhandlers so we can give him breaks from being on ball all the time.”
Getting Marcus Smart back from injury Friday helped ease the burden on Kennard. Smart missed nine games because of a lingering right ankle injury. Smart had six points and seven assists in his first game since March 21. Also Friday, the Lakers waived guard Kobe Bufkin to open a roster spot for the postseason, possibly to add a veteran guard while Doncic and Reaves are out. The Lakers have until Sunday’s regular-season finale to sign any player waived by his former team before March 1 to standard contract.
James, playing for the second consecutive night Friday, had a team-high 12 assists and 28 points with six rebounds. In three appearances since the injuries to Doncic and Reaves, James has averaged 28 points, 12.6 assists and 7.7 rebounds on 60% shooting. And if the pairing of James and Kennard feels smoother than it has any right to be, it’s because the fit is pretty simple—high-IQ ball, not just highlight ball. “It’s just because it’s two cerebral basketball players,” James said. “That’s why it’s seamless. He’s smart as hell. I’m smart as hell at this game.”
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