Atlanta Hawks Trade Luke Kennard To The Los Angeles Lakers for an expiring contract and Draft Capital

The Hawks have made another trade and sent Luke Kennard to the Lakers for Gabe Vincent and a second round pick

Jan 28, 2026; Boston, Massachusetts, USA; Atlanta Hawks guard Luke Kennard (4) drives to the basket against Boston Celtics guard Derrick White (9) during the first half at the TD Garden. Mandatory Credit: Brian Fluharty-Imagn Images | Brian Fluharty-Imagn Images

The Atlanta Hawks are at it again.

After a stunning trade last night that got them Jonathan Kuminga from the Golden State Warriors, the Atlanta Hawks have made another forward thinking move. According to ESPN's Shams Charania, the Hawks are trading Luke Kennard to the Los Angeles Lakers for Gabe Vincent and a 2032 second round pick.

The Los Angeles Lakers are trading Gabe Vincent and a 2032 second-round pick to the Atlanta Hawks for Luke Kennard, sources tell ESPN.

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) February 5, 2026

Kennard currently leads the NBA in three point percentage at 49.7% and has played really well over the past month or so. Kennard had been in trade talks due to his $11 million expiring contract so this is another forward thinking move for the Hawks as they flip him for another expiring contract and they get another second round pick. The Hawks have made acquiring future seconds a priority at the deadline, as they have added three, one in this trade and two in the trade that sent Vit Krejci to Portland.

Gabe Vincent is also an expiring contract at $11.5 million, but he has not been as good of a player as Kennard this season. Vincent has played in 29 games this season and is averaging 4.8 PPG and 1.3 APG this season and is shooting 35% from the field and 37% from three.

The Hawks can also absorb Kennard in the $13.1 million trade exception that they created when they moved Bogdan Bogdanovic last season and they create an $11 million TPE for Kennard.

How does he fit?

Jan 28, 2026; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Los Angeles Lakers guard Gabe Vincent (7) brings the ball up court in the first quarter against the Cleveland Cavaliers at Rocket Arena. Mandatory Credit: David Richard-Imagn Images | David Richard-Imagn Images

The Hawks are hoping that Vincent can turn back the clock and try to regain his form from when he was on the Miami Heat. With the Hawks moving Krejci and Kennard, they are losing their top three point shooters from the team. Atlanta is 5th this season in three point percentage, but that was with those two players.

Vincent, Zaccharie Risacher, Corey Kispert, and the recently acquired Buddy Hield are going to have to step up in a big way for the Hawks the rest of the season. The Hawks are two games back from the No. 7 spot in the Eastern Conference, but they can't afford a big drop off in three point production if they are to do that.

Vincent is going to join Nickeil Alexander-Walker, Dyson Daniels, and CJ McCollum as the primary ball handlers on this team. It will be interesting to see how Vincent is incorporated into this mix of guards. Alexander-Walker and Daniels will remain the starters and McCollum has figured out his role on the team in recent games. Vincent has not been very good this season, but he represents an upgrade over Keaton Wallace at the very least.

The Hawks are losing the top three point shooter in the NBA, but they gain an extra second round pick in the process. Atlanta GM Onsi Saleh continues to build assets and looking toward the future as he tries to make this franchise a consistent winner.