JJ Redick Reveals One Unique Aspect Luke Kennard Brings to Lakers

Before the buzzer sounded on the NBA trade deadline last month, the Los Angeles Lakers made one deal, sending veteran guard Gabe Vincent and a second-round draft pick to the Atlanta Hawks in exchange for sharpshooter Luke Kennard.

Although it wasn’t a blockbuster trade like the team made last year, acquiring superstar Luka Doncic in a deal with the Dallas Mavericks, Kennard addressed a need, with the Lakers’ brass looking to improve the team’s outside shooting.

JJ Redick Raves About Luke Kennard’s Impact

Luke Kennard Los Angeles Lakers — Feb 7, 2026; Los Angeles, California, USA; Los Angeles Lakers guard Luke Kennard (10) shoots against the Golden State Warriors during the first half at Crypto.com Arena. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images | Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images

In Kennard’s ninth game in a Lakers uniform, the veteran shooter had his best performance yet with his new team. He finished with 16 points, three rebounds, three assists and a steal, while shooting 6-for-10 from the floor and 4-for-7 from deep.

After the game, Lakers head coach JJ Redick spoke to the media and explained what Kennard does for this team.

“He just starts the blender for us,” Redick said of the Lakers’ new sharpshooter. “We frankly have not had a ton of blender starters. Obviously, Luka [Doncic] gets two on the ball, AR (Austin Reaves) will get two on the ball, LeBron [James] will get two on the ball, but just to be able to create a closeout and then make the right read and right play from there. I thought our guys were incredibly unselfish tonight. It started with that starting group, and then I thought Luke was huge for our offense tonight.”

Kennard seems to have found his groove in Los Angeles, as he’s already putting up better numbers with the Lakers than he was with the Hawks, while already earning the trust and respect of Redick and the team’s coaching staff.

“He’s got a really good ‘we score’ mentality,” Redick said of Kennard. “A play can be for him, but he’s gonna hunt out the best shot and play for the team, and all of the guys benefit from that when the ball moves. I called an ATO for him in the second half. He scores on it. Could’ve shot it off the initial screen, created the blender, eventually got it back and hits a step-back three. We run it again, and this is where he’s such a cerebral player. Pat Spencer tries to top block him, and he screens his own into Jake’s guy and Smart hits Jake for a layup. That’s just connective offense right there and that’s what Luke does.”

In nine games, Kennard is averaging 10.1 points, 2.7 rebounds and 1.8 assists per game, shooting 64.8 percent from the field and 45.8 percent from beyond the arc.