The Los Angeles Lakers acquired sharpshooting guard Luke Kennard from the Atlanta Hawks on Thursday night in exchange for guard Gabe Vincent and a 2032 second-round pick.

The move addresses one of the Lakers’ biggest needs: perimeter shooting. Los Angeles ranks 22nd in the NBA in three-point percentage this season, hitting just 34.8% from beyond the arc. Kennard immediately boosts that area, as he is shooting a career-best 49.7% from three this season and owns a 44.2% mark from deep across nine NBA seasons. His ability to space the floor should complement playmakers Luka Dončić, LeBron James, and Austin Reaves, all of whom consistently generate open looks for shooters.

Kennard, 29, is earning $11 million this season and will become an unrestricted free agent this summer, preserving the Lakers’ long-term cap flexibility. He is averaging 7.9 points in 46 games this season and has long been regarded as one of the league’s most efficient perimeter shooters.

Vincent, also 29, leaves Los Angeles after an inconsistent tenure. Signed with the midlevel exception following Miami’s 2023 Finals run, Vincent’s first season with the Lakers was derailed by knee issues that limited him to just 11 games. He appeared in 72 games last season, shooting 35.3% from three, and has split time between the bench and starting lineup this year amid injuries across the roster. Vincent is averaging 4.8 points this season and, like Kennard, will be an unrestricted free agent after the year.

For Atlanta, the trade brings in a veteran guard, future draft capital, and financial flexibility through the trade exception, while Los Angeles lands a proven shooter in hopes of strengthening its postseason push.