What Suns Said After Finally Announcing Luke Kennard Move

PHOENIX -- The Phoenix Suns have finally made the Luke Kennard signing official, one day after officially announcing the trade with the Charlotte Hornets for Miles Bridges.

The trade for Bridges opened the space needed for Phoenix to sign Kennard to the reported two-year, $13 million contract.

Kennard joins the Suns after leading the NBA with a 47.8% 3-point percentage last season and impressing in an increased role with the Los Angeles Lakers in the playoffs with Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves sidelined due to injury.

“Luke’s work ethic and commitment to his craft have made him one of the most efficient three-point shooters in NBA history,” said Suns general manager Brian Gregory in the official press release. “His floor spacing, high basketball IQ and connective playmaking bring another dimension to our offense. We’re excited to welcome Luke and his family to Phoenix.”

From deep to the desert, welcome Luke 👌 pic.twitter.com/mPYGjIWy4x
— Phoenix Suns (@Suns) July 14, 2026

Kennard will look to help fill the void of sharpshooters Royce O'Neale and Grayson Allen, who were traded to Charlotte in the Bridges deal, and form a new 3-point shooting duo with Collin Gillespie, who re-signed with the Suns on a four-year contract after setting a new franchise record with 232 3-pointers made in a season.

The 6-foot-5 Kennard will be entering his 10th NBA season in 2026-27 and ranks second all time in NBA history with a 44.2% career 3-point percentage behind only Steve Kerr.

Although Kennard has led the league in 3-point percentage in three separate seasons, the Suns would like to see his 3-point volume increase, as he averaged just 3.1 3-point attempts per game last season and 4.3 attempts for his career.

Phoenix had a lot of success in developing players into having career seasons in coach Jordan Ott's first season no matter their age, as evidenced by Dillon Brooks, Allen, Gillespie, O'Neale, Jordan Goodwin and Jamaree Bouyea.

Kennard has all the tools to be another example of one of these players, but he will have to prove willing to take advantage of the freedom the Suns allow on offense and not be too weak of a link defensively.

Here's more from the release on Kennard, who will wear No. 8 for the Suns:

"Kennard (6’-5”, 206 pounds) shot a career-best 53.3% from the field and a league-leading 47.8% from three-point range in 78 games between the Atlanta Hawks and Los Angeles Lakers last season. He averaged 8.4 points, 2.3 rebounds and 2.2 assists in 21.6 minutes, and recorded his first career triple-double on April 5 at Dallas with 15 points, 16 rebounds and 11 assists. Kennard appeared in all 10 of the Lakers’ postseason games, averaging 11.5 points and 3.5 rebounds, highlighted by a playoff career-high 27 points against Houston on April 18.

"A nine-year NBA veteran, Kennard holds career averages of 9.6 points on 46.6% from the field and 44.2% from three-point, 2.8 rebounds and 1.9 three-pointers in 538 games (127 starts). He led the NBA in three-point shooting percentage three times in 2021-22, 2022-23 and 2025-26, joining Kyle Korver as the only players in NBA history to lead the league in the category at least three times. The 12th overall pick in the 2017 NBA Draft out of Duke University, Kennard’s career 44.2% mark from beyond the arc is the second highest in league history behind only Steve Kerr.

"Kennard will wear jersey No. 8 for the Suns."

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