The Los Angeles Lakers have lost one of their top bench players.
The day of changeover for the Los Angeles Lakers continued on Tuesday evening as they lost guard Luke Kennard to the Phoenix Suns.
ESPN's Sham Charania reports that Kennard has agreed to a two-year deal worth $13 million to join the Suns. There is a player option attached to the second year of the deal.
Kennard was acquired by the Lakers from the Atlanta Hawks at the trade deadline in exchange for Gabe Vincent and a second-round pick.
Kennard averaged 9 points, 2.6 rebounds, and 2.4 assists while shooting 44% from three. He recorded his first career triple-double against the Dallas Mavericks on April 5 and hit the game-winning shot against the Orlando Magic on March 21.
Losing Luke Kennard
The loss of Kennard is a big blow to the Lakers bench. Kennard acclimated himself very well after he was acquired by the team, providing extra spacing and a safety net for Luka Doncic, Austin Reaves, and LeBron James.
His triple-double late in the season showed that there was more to his offensive game that head coach JJ Redick was able to unlock.
The Lakers already lost LeBron James earlier in the day, and will reportedly lose Marcus Smart to the Houston Rockets. Losing three pieces to their playoff rotation signifies big changes are in store for the team, and finding chemistry quickly in a tough Western Conference won't be easy.
Potential Replacements
The team is reportedly set to sign Sandro Mamukelashvili and Quentin Grimes, though those deals have not officially been announced.
Both players might end up as starters given how the Lakers offseason is going, leaving their bench still shorthanded.
Norman Powell could be a big fish that the Lakers might be able to reel in, given the opportunity they could provide and the cap space they have. If they are able to sign Powell, which would put Grimes in a bench role, the duo of Powell and Grimes could be looked at as an upgrade over Smart and Kennard.
Bradley Beal is another potential option if the Lakers are looking to replace Kennard's offense off the bench. Beal missed the majority of the 2025-26 season due to a hip injury, and it's unclear how much he has left at 33 coming off a major injury, but it could be a low-risk move that pays off for the Lakers.
Matisse Thybulle would be the final name on the list as he's improved his three-point shot and provides a defensive element that is more akin to Smart than Kennard.
