Suns' Luke Kennard Shows How Impactful He Can Be With Impressive Preseason Performance

PHOENIX -- New Phoenix Suns guard Luke Kennard put together an impressive performance filling in for Devin Booker (rest) in the starting lineup during Phoenix's 102-98 preseason victory over the San Antonio Spurs Saturday night.

Kennard poured in a game-high 20 points on 8-of-15 shooting, including 4-of-10 from 3-point range, to go along with five rebounds and four assists in 25 minutes in the Suns' first win of the preseason.

"On nights like this, you just let him go. He has so much experience on different defenses," Suns coach Jordan Ott said of Kennard postgame. "Some nights with the big back like that, he was able to kind of move around. And then we have Oso (Ighodaro) who's really good at playing with those types of movers. And (Khaman Maluach) taking a step.

"(Kennard's) shown playmaking before in his career. Definitely last year at the end of last season, kind of sticks out in everyone's mind. But he's a really good basketball player. We're lucky to have him."

Luke Kennard full highlights vs. San Antonio Spurs (102-98 W) - preseason:

20 Points on 8/15 FG (53.3%), 4/10 from 3, 5 Rebounds (1 Off. Reb), 4 Assists (1 TOV), 1 PF, and a +/- of +11 in 25:02 minutes played.

I also posted it on YouTube:https://t.co/lQDVCqmIlr pic.twitter.com/IfbYnsezT7
— MrBuckBuck (@MrBuckBuckNBA) October 11, 2026

After signing a two-year, $12.43 million contract with Phoenix this offseason following a season in which he led the league in 3-point percentage, Kennard previously said the Suns, who are in need of 3-point shooting after trading away Grayson Allen and Royce O'Neale, implored him to shoot the ball more as soon as he joined the team.

Kennard put on full display how impactful he can be when he's aggressive against San Antonio.

"I really believe that this is a great fit for me and who I am as a player and the way that I play," Kennard said. "There's a lot of just freedom of movement out there, and those connections are huge when it comes to that. Just knowing the type of spots that you're going to be in, shots that you want to take.

"I've played with a couple of these guys, like (Jordan Goodwin), I played with him. I played with (Dillon Brooks) before back in Memphis. I know some guys. I've asked a lot of questions about the group, getting close with some guys. It's been a lot of fun, and like I said, I think the fit is really good."

Brooks, who was Kennard's teammate with the Memphis Grizzlies at the end of the 2022-23 season, feels Kennard is going to be a big addition for the Suns.

"I love Luke. You can plug and play him anywhere. Got a tremendous shot. He knows how to play the game. It's not only the 3-pointer, as you can see, but he can create for himself in the mid-range. He's got a great handle," Brooks said of Kennard (via ClutchPoints' Hayden Ciley).

"He's gonna be another scorer for us coming off the bench, and he guards. He stays in front. It's a perfect pickup for us. Like I said in the offseason, I can't wait for Phoenix to see what type of games he's gonna have. He's gonna have some tremendous games."

"PHOENIX GONNA LOVE SOME LUKE KENNARD!"

Kennard recorded 20 PTS (game-high), 5 REB, 4 AST and 4 3PM to lead Phoenix to their first preseason win last night... and Dillon Brooks crashed his postgame interview to hype up his new @Suns teammate 🤣🙌 pic.twitter.com/eoaZedwHJE
— NBA (@NBA) October 11, 2026

Kennard and the Suns play their next preseason game Wednesday night in San Antonio in a rematch against the Spurs.

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