DHJ Quick Take: Suns Eye Luke Kennard as Market Opens
Phoenix has interest in free-agent shooter Luke Kennard, sources told Dallas Hoops Journal, as the team works to replace the perimeter scoring it traded away this offseason.
- Why does Phoenix want Kennard? The Suns dealt Grayson Allen and Royce O’Neale in the Miles Bridges trade and need shooting around their core.
- Why could he be available? The Lakers hold no Bird rights on Kennard and have funneled their spending into Austin Reaves, Deandre Ayton, and face a looming LeBron James free agency.
- What’s standing in the way? Phoenix is limited to the roughly $6 million taxpayer mid-level exception, which may not match Kennard’s asking price.
- What’s next? Free agency opens Tuesday at 5 p.m. CT.
The Phoenix Suns have strong interest in Luke Kennard in free agency, sources told Dallas Hoops Journal, as the league’s most accurate 3-point shooter prepares to hit the open market Tuesday evening.
Kennard closed the regular season as the NBA’s top marksman from deep, hitting 47.8% of his triples while averaging 8.4 points, 2.3 rebounds, and 2.2 assists over 78 games with the Atlanta Hawks and Los Angeles Lakers, who acquired him at February’s deadline. He’s an unrestricted free agent, and because he landed in Los Angeles without his Bird rights, the Lakers face some limitations in re-signing him.
Why the Los Angeles Lakers Could Let Luke Kennard Walk
The rest of the Lakers’ offseason points away from a big Kennard investment. Los Angeles locked up Austin Reaves on a four-year, $185 million max deal, the richest ever for an undrafted player, and brought back center Deandre Ayton on his $8.1 million option.
Hanging over everything is LeBron James, who reached the open market without an offer in hand and a roughly $59.5 million cap hold that eats into the team’s flexibility.
Phoenix Suns Eye Shooting Help After Miles Bridges Trade
The Suns have a clear reason to be one of his suitors. They gutted their perimeter shooting in last week’s Miles Bridges deal, shipping out Grayson Allen and Royce O’Neale and leaving Collin Gillespie as the lone reliable spot-up option on the roster.
That trade also dropped Phoenix to around the first apron, where the taxpayer mid-level exception of roughly $6 million stands as its main avenue to sign a free agent from outside the building.
The Money Question for Phoenix and Luke Kennard
Kennard made $11 million on a one-year deal last season, and a year spent leading the league from 3 won’t bring his price down. The taxpayer mid-level still tops what most of his potential suitors can offer.
Free agency opens Tuesday at 5 p.m. CT.
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