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Trae Young and the Atlanta Hawks continue to be aggressive this offseason. Right after acquiring Nickeil Alexander-Walker from the Minnesota Timberwolves, they also land sharpshooter Luke Kennard from the Memphis Grizzlies.
Kennard will sign a one-year, $11 million deal with Atlanta, per ESPN's NBA insider Shams Charania on Monday.
“Free agent sharpshooter Luke Kennard has agreed to a one-year, $11 million deal with the Atlanta Hawks, sources tell ESPN. Kennard has been one of the best 3-point shooters in the NBA, and Atlanta negotiated the new deal with CAA's Aaron Mintz and Dave Spahn,” Charania said.
“Hawks star Trae Young reached out to Kennard and Nickeil Alexander-Walker this evening to help recruit them to the franchise, sources said. Two big wing gets for the Hawks.”
Kennard joins Atlanta after spending three seasons with the Grizzlies. He averaged 10 points, 3.2 assists and 2.9 rebounds per game after 128 total appearances.
What's next for Hawks after landing Luke Kennard
The Hawks bring a sharpshooter alongside Trae Young that they haven't had since they moved on from Kevin Huerter and Bogdan Bogdanovic.
This move would significantly improve Atlanta's perimeter shooting, not to mention the offense that will be more active with Young being the main playmaker. Luke Kennard is more than capable of knocking down 3-pointers from anywhere on the court, making him a shooting threat at all times.
The Hawks have made big moves this offseason, getting Kristaps Porzingis from the Boston Celtics and Nickeil Alexander-Walker from the Timberwolves. It's clear they sense the openness of the Eastern Conference due to injuries from contending teams, giving Atlanta an opportunity to take advantage.
Atlanta hasn't returned to the playoffs since 2023 when they lost to the Celtics in the first round in six games. The last two campaigns had them be in the mix but fall short of the last two playoff spots in the East. This past season saw them finish with a 40-42 record, losing to the Miami Heat for the eighth and final playoff spot.
