After buying Luka Doncic final February, the Los Angeles Lakers haven’t made every other main strikes to improve the roster round him. They’ve primarily labored throughout the margins to enhance their workforce and preserve as a lot long-term flexibility as attainable.
It’s not that the Lakers don’t have expertise round Doncic. You may do lots worse than having Austin Reaves and LeBron James as Doncic’s co-stars.
James particularly has stepped up his play over the past month, whereas Reaves has picked up the place he left off after a protracted layoff as a consequence of a calf harm.
LA will seemingly be extra aggressive this summer season as they’re projected to have extra cap area and as much as three tradeable first-round picks this summer season.
Nonetheless, it didn’t cease them from including a key function participant on the deadline and one that might assist them come playoff time.
Luke Kennard has been an amazing match to this point with the Lakers
Kennard has been one of many NBA’s most underrated shooters over the previous couple of seasons. Swapping Gabe Vincent out for him on the deadline was a shrewd transfer by Rob Pelinka and one which has helped LA immensely.
Kennard is averaging eight factors per recreation and taking pictures 46 p.c from three-point vary. General on the season, he’s pulling down an absurd 48 p.c of his threes. His quantity isn’t very excessive, however groups know he’s very a lot a risk from past the arc.
Doncic, Reaves, and James are all at their greatest once they have floor-spacers subsequent to them. They’ve all proven that at numerous factors all through their careers. Kennard is the right match subsequent to them. In over 1,000 possessions, the workforce has a 123.8 offensive score and a +2.0 internet score with Kennard on the court docket.
His catch-and-shoot prowess is what permits him to shoot a excessive proportion from three. He’s pulling down nearly 50 p.c of his catch-and-shoot threes. His launch can also be lightning fast, so if a defender closes out only a cut up second late, that’s on a regular basis Kennard must get his shot off.
Kennard’s taking pictures might be the playoff X-factor the Lakers have been missing. They’re going to should lean into their offense in the event that they need to go far within the postseason and Kennard ought to be capable of assist them with that come spring.
