LOS ANGELES — In the wee hours of Thursday night, not too long after the Lakers beat the Philadelphia 76ers at Crypto.com Arena, Luke Kennard arrived early Friday morning in Southern California to begin the onboarding process with his new team.

And less than 48 hours later, after being traded from the Atlanta Hawks to the Lakers, in his on-court debut for the franchise, Kennard stepped up in a pivotal moment of the Lakers’ Saturday-night marquee matchup against the Golden State Warriors.

Less than 48 hours after being traded from the Atlanta Hawks to the LA Lakers, Luke Kennard stepped up in a pivotal moment of the Lakers’ Saturday-night marquee matchup against the Golden State Warriors at Crypto.com Arena. Getty Images

And Kennard delivered, playing a vital role in his new team picking up its third straight win.

“When you have a play drawn up for you, especially coming out of the timeout, you want to execute it,” said Kennard, who scored 10 points in his Lakers debut. “You want to get a good shot no matter what, make or miss.”

Kennard made his shot count. 

After the Warriors trimmed what was a 12-point Lakers lead to one midway through the fourth quarter, the Lakers were ready with an after timeout play (ATO) for Kennard in a pivotal moment. 

Kennard drives to the basket while being defended by Will Richard of the Golden State Warriors, Feb. 7. Getty Images

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As Jarred Vanderbilt set a ghost screen (fake screen) for Austin Reaves when Reaves drove to the right side of the floor, attracting the attention of three Warriors defenders, Maxi Kleber set a hammer screen (an off-ball screen on the weak side of the floor for a shooter moving toward the opposite corner) for Kennard.

The result: Kennard getting free in the corner and Reaves delivering a pinpoint pass to his new teammate. 

Kennard took one dribble, with nobody near him before knocking down the corner three-pointer to put the Lakers up 92–88.   

Kennard with his previous team Atlanta Hawks during the game against the Detroit Pistons on Dec. 1, 2025. NBAE via Getty Images

“Maxi set an incredible screen, great pass by AR and was a good play by coach,” Kennard said. “I’m excited to have some more of those and see what else he can come up with there on the sideline.”

Kennard’s late three started a 8–0 run for the Lakers, who led by at least nine for the final 4-and-a-half minutes before De’Anthony Melton’s three with one second left. 

“He’s a basketball player,” Reaves said of Kennard. “It’s not going to take him long to figure out the best way he can help this team be successful. Obviously there’s going to be a learning curve, just the stuff that we do — plays, schemes, all that kind of stuff. But when it comes down to basketball, he knows how to play the game of basketball so it should be pretty simple.”

Golden State Warriors guard Brandin Podziemski passes the ball against new Lakers guard Kennard. IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

And while the game-changing play was simple, it also encapsulated the work the Lakers and Kennard did on each other before Saturday’s moment came — and even before the Lakers acquired Kennard leading into Thursday’s trade deadline. 

Yes, Kennard is one of the league’s best shooters, with his 49.7% accuracy on shots from beyond the arc leading the NBA.  

But that basic knowledge, in addition to knowing Kennard for about 12 years, didn’t stop coach JJ Redick from watching a full offensive and defensive film edit on Kennard. And in return, the Lakers sent Kennard an edit of their defensive and offensive concepts, play and sets.

“He probably watched it,” Redick said. “Not all players would, but he probably did.”

Was Redick confident Kennard watched the film because, like he did nearly a decade prior, Kennard also went to Duke and played for legendary coach Mike Krzyzewski?

Warriors guard Moses Moody controls the ball against Kennard during the second half at LA’s Crypto.com Arena. IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

“Of course,” Redick said, before quipping that he graduated from Duke, unlike Kennard.

Kennard confirmed he did watch the film.

“Obviously, when you’re on a new team, you gotta learn a lot of new things and new people, how guys play,” Kennard said. “Just going back to Duke days, watching film, it was always a big thing. I studied a lot of it, a lot of the play calls, defensive coverages. And there’s still some things I need to pick up on. He did a good job of pointing me in the right direction, same with [LeBron James] and AR, same thing. 

“But it’s good when you have guys that help you out with that stuff and then feel confident in you to be in the right spots.”

On Saturday night, Kennard was in the spot the Lakers needed him to be.

And it’s one they not only hope, but are confident, he’ll continue to arrive at. 

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