'he Does So Many More Things.' How Luke Kennard Became The Lakers' Emergency Point Guard

From AAU games successful Ohio to assemblage gyms up and down nan Atlantic Coast Conference to nan NBA, Luke Kennard has ever been met pinch nan aforesaid warning.

“Shooter!”

LeBron James, however, knows amended than to put Kennard successful a box.

The Lakers superstar watched Kennard’s profession turn since he was playing connected James’ AAU squad successful Ohio, where, yes, Kennard changeable nan lights out, but he besides displayed nan aforesaid versatility that made him a fitting emergency constituent defender during nan Lakers’ shorthanded late-season push.

“He’s conscionable a shot player,” James said. “... People conscionable benignant of gave him nan communicative of conscionable being a shooter. But he does truthful galore much things. He tin grip nan ball, he tin rebound nan ball, he tin make plays. ... And what we’re missing correct now, we request it [from him]. We request it much and much than ever.”

Beyond being nan league’s starring three-point shooter, Kennard has 31 assists successful nan past 4 games, stepping up his ball-handling responsibilities for nan Lakers, who must decorativeness nan regular play Sunday against nan Utah Jazz without Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves. Kennard had 3 assists pinch 19 points successful nan Lakers’ 101-73 win complete nan Phoenix Suns connected Friday that clinched home-court advantage successful nan first round.

The 29-year-old has averaged 2.3 assists per crippled successful his NBA profession and only 1.7 per crippled for nan Lakers (52-29) since he joined successful a midseason trade. But without Doncic and Reaves, nan Lakers person relied connected discourtesy by committee. During nan past 4 games, 77.3% of nan Lakers’ made section goals person been assisted.

“Just being organized, controlling pace,” Kennard said of nan team’s expertise to stock nan shot successful caller games. “Guys not overthinking excessively much, conscionable playing wrong nan travel of nan game.”

Lakers defender Luke Kennard celebrates pinch LeBron James’ aft James scored astatine Crypto.com Arena connected Friday.

(Allen J. Schaben/Los Angeles Times)

Kennard’s poise was been paramount for nan squad during an affectional week. The eight-year seasoned who has cycled done 5 teams and been traded midseason doubly provides steadiness, Lakers coach JJ Redick said.

“He’s a professional,” Redick said. “He comes to work, he’s a awesome teammate. He does what nan squad asks him to do. … No matter what you benignant of springiness him, he’ll clasp it.”

Kennard was, successful fact, a constituent defender successful precocious school, he said proudly. While astatine Franklin High, he passed James connected Ohio’s all-time scoring list. He solidified his position arsenic a prolific shooter astatine Duke. Redick is acquainted pinch that peculiar fate, he said pinch a wry smile.

Redick approached Kennard aft Doncic and Reaves were injured against Oklahoma City past Thursday to talk nan contingency scheme of him taking connected much ball-handling responsibilities. The Lakers had 1 time of believe successful Dallas, and nan squad walked done respective plays pinch Kennard astatine different positions. It was nan only believe time nan Lakers person had since nan season-altering injuries. The remainder of Kennard’s learning has been done conversations pinch coaches, movie study and instinctual play connected nan court.

He responded pinch his first profession triple-double successful nan first crippled successful his caller role: 15 points, 11 assists and 16 rebounds successful nan Lakers’ nonaccomplishment to nan Mavericks.

But Kennard is notoriously difficult connected himself. He lamented Tuesday — aft he scored 10 points pinch 9 assists but missed some of his three-point attempts successful a nonaccomplishment to Oklahoma City — that he wishes he was shooting amended recently. During nan first 4 games successful April, he was conscionable three-for-13 (23.1%) from three. He is still starring nan convention successful three-point shooting astatine 47.8% this season.

Despite playing pinch a divided connected his near scale digit aft suffering an wounded successful nan Lakers’ triumph complete Golden State connected Thursday, nan left-handed Kennard made his first three-pointer Friday, getting fouled connected nan play to gain a four-point opportunity. He vanished two-for-four from 3 against nan Suns and six-for-12 from nan floor. It was nan first clip he’d made aggregate threes successful a crippled since March 30 against Washington.

“We each consciousness for illustration each clip he shoots nan ball, it’s gonna spell in,” Redick said. “Whether that’s a floater, a midi, aliases a 3 I deliberation he’s sewage a awesome woody of assurance and a batch of that comes from his mentation and his work. I deliberation nan biggest point for america is, pinch our existent group, having those different shot handlers truthful we tin springiness him breaks from being connected shot each nan time.”

Getting Marcus Smart backmost from wounded Friday helped easiness nan ball-handling load connected Kennard. Smart had missed 9 games because of a lingering correct ankle injury. Smart had six points and 7 assists successful his first crippled since March 21.

The Lakers waived defender Kobe Bufkin connected Friday to unfastened a roster spot for nan postseason, perchance to adhd a seasoned defender to bolster backcourt while Doncic and Reaves are out. The Lakers person until Sunday’s regular-season finale to motion immoderate subordinate waived by his erstwhile squad earlier March 1 to modular contract.

James, playing for nan 2nd consecutive nighttime Tuesday, had 12 assists pinch 28 points and six rebounds. In 3 appearances since nan injuries to Doncic and Reaves, James has averaged 28 points, 12 assists and 5.8 rebounds connected 60% shooting from nan field.

Fitting James, Doncic and Reaves together came pinch increasing pains, but pairing James and Kennard has felt simple. These 2 of nan astir prolific scorers successful precocious schoolhouse hoops history successful Ohio are trim from nan aforesaid cloth.

“It’s conscionable because it’s 2 cerebral hoops players,” James said. “That’s why it’s seamless. He’s smart arsenic hell. I’m smart arsenic hellhole astatine this game.”