This silent NBA switch might be the most significant of the season
Luke Kennard slipped out of the Grizzlies’ grasp and has landed in the claws of the Hawks.
The words ‘Luke Kennard leaves the Memphis Grizzlies for the Atlanta Hawks’ won’t ever be splashed across the front pages of the daily newspapers, nor will it run as the lead story on the news bulletin, above world-record grapefruits and a runaway train in Bangladesh.
However, it is much more important than either of those things; in fact, it could be argued that it’s the most impactful NBA story of the summer.
Farbod Esnaashari of SI called Kennard “one of the greatest three-point shooters in the NBA,” citing that he has averaged 46.2% shooting from deep on five attempts per game across the past 3 seasons.
“He’s an elite shooter and proven playmaker”
On the move Hawks General Manager Onsi Saleh said that “We’re excited to add Luke to our group,” adding that “Luke is a great connector. He’s an elite shooter and proven playmaker with a high basketball IQ and team-first mentality. He fills multiple needs for us, and we believe he’s going to make our team better.”
The NBA itself spoke of the switch, highlighting his numbers: in 65 games (11 starts) for the Memphis Grizzlies during the 2024-25 season, Kennard managed 8.9 points, 2.8 rebounds, and 3.3 assists in 22.6 minutes of action (.478 FG%, .433 3FG%, .895 FT%).
As for his overall numbers in the NBA, Kennard has appeared in 460 games (121 starts), and has managed career averages of 9.8 points, 2.8 rebounds, and 2.3 assists in 23.4 minutes (.457 FG%, .438 3FG%, .881 FT%).
However, Esnaashari also highlighted that “the biggest issue with Kennard has seemingly been that he doesn’t shoot enough three-pointers with how good a shooter he actually is,” something that was a general theme with Hawks fans. While they were excited by the move, it seems his reluctance to try his luck is something to keep in mind.
The Atlanta Hawks potential lineup next season:
— NBA Retweet (@RTNBA) August 21, 2025
PG: Trae Young
SG: Dyson Daniels
SF: Zaccharie Risacher
PF: Jalen Johnson
C: Kristpas Porzingis
Bench:
• Nickeil Alexander-Walker
• Luke Kennard
• Onyeka Okongwu
• Asa Newell
• Vit Krejci
Top __ seed? 👀 pic.twitter.com/v77VrQNM9X
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While it won’t grab the headlines, if we look at the material impact it could have on both sides involved, it may well be the biggest pound-for-pound signing in the NBA this summer.
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