The Los Angeles Lakers waited until the final moments of Thursday’s trade deadline to make their move, and it wasn’t exactly the splash many were hoping for. With just minutes to spare before the 3 p.m. ET buzzer, they traded for Luke Kennard from the Atlanta Hawks, sending out Gabe Vincent and a 2032 second-round pick in return.
The deal was meant to address their shooting woes heading into the postseason, but the response has been anything but enthusiastic.
Former NBA guard Gilbert Arenas had plenty to say about it, and none of it was flattering. On a recent episode of The Gilbert Arenas Show, he was frank about handing the Lakers an ‘F’ grade for their deadline work.
“I’m gonna give them an F because they traded an F player for an F player. That’s how that works. F, F, equals F. You don’t get an A, because you made an upgrade in that position. This player averages 6 then you subbed him out for somebody who averages 8.”
“As much as I want to say it’s an upgrade. Is it an upgrade that helps the team in a drastic form? No. Did we get more athletic? No. Did we get faster? No. Taller? We got a better shooter for another guy who’s going to sit in the corner, waiting for the ball.”
“I give them an F because they’re the Lakers and the Lakers are the Godfather. And, just like previous years. We are star studded over here. This is Hollywood… We go after big names, key players, we make a splash. We want our logo Lakers around the world for things. We didn’t even get smart enough to put our name in trade boxes. Who’s the marketing team over there? I would’ve hit Shams in the back about, ‘hey we’re about to make a play for Giannis. We’re trading LeBron for Giannis.’ Boom, headlines around the world. Even if I’m doing nothing.”
Gilbert Arenas dug deeper into why the move felt like such a lateral step for a team that’s supposed to be competing for a championship. What really seemed to bother Arenas was the lack of ambition. The Lakers have always been about making headlines, and this move barely registered.
Manufacturing trade rumors just for attention probably is not the wisest approach. Sure, the Lakers aren’t just any franchise. They have got 17 championships, sitting one behind the Boston Celtics. That history comes with expectations, and fans wanted something bigger. That said, according to Rob Pelinka, there’s value in what they actually did.
Kennard gives them legitimate shooting, something they’ve been missing all year. It’s not the kind of move that gets people talking, but it’s one that could quietly make a difference.
What Kennard brings is pretty straightforward. He’s spent his career knocking down threes at a 44.2% and is currently hitting at 49.7% from deep this season. For a Lakers team shooting just 35% from beyond the arc, that’s an upgrade. He’s putting up 8.0 points, 2.1 rebounds, 2.1 assists, and 0.7 steals across 47 appearances this year. His first outing in a Lakers uniform went well enough. 10 points, two assists, two boards, and 50% shooting from three in 26 minutes of action.
Los Angeles made it clear that spacing and versatility mattered more than making noise, even if that approach has not won over everyone watching. Kennard’s shooting should blend in nicely with the stars already running the offense. He is indeed excited to be a part of that group.
The Lakers are sitting sixth in the Western Conference at 32-19 and are working through an eight-game homestand that kicked off Thursday against the Philadelphia 76ers and rolled into Saturday against the Golden State Warriors. They took care of business in both games, which should keep them in a decent spot as things heat up down the stretch.
