The Phoenix Suns lost two of their best three-point shooters this summer. Grayson Allen and Royce O’Neale are gone. And then, almost before anyone could process it, they signed Luke Kennard to a two-year, $13 million deal. That contract might be the single friendliest number in the NBA right now.
Kennard led the league in three-point shooting last season at 47.8 percent. That’s not a fluke either. He’s been around that mark for years. The man doesn’t take bad shots. But in Phoenix, under coach Jordan Ott, he’s going to get plenty of good ones. Ott runs a perimeter-heavy system where threes aren’t just encouraged — they’re the whole point.
Allen and O’Neale both set career highs in three-point attempts per game before they were traded. Kennard probably won’t launch 10 threes a night like Allen did. But six? That’s within reach. And the Suns were top five in both three-point attempts and makes last season. So the fit is obvious.
This signing gives Devin Booker, Jalen Green, and Dillon Brooks another shooter they can trust. And here’s the part that stings for Lakers fans: Los Angeles wanted Kennard too. Their division rival. The same guy who could’ve helped their spacing is now in Phoenix. That’s addition by subtraction in a very real way.
More Than Just a Shooter
Kennard doesn’t just stand in the corner and wait. He can handle the ball. He runs pick-and-roll. He makes plays. That part of his game gets overlooked because the shooting numbers are so loud. But it matters. The Suns have a bench now — Kennard will share backcourt duties with Collin Gillespie, who is also a legitimate shooter. That’s depth Phoenix didn’t have last year.
Suns general manager Brian Gregory said it himself when the deal was announced: “Luke’s work ethic and commitment to his craft have made him one of the most efficient three-point shooters in NBA history. His floor spacing, high basketball IQ and connective playmaking bring another dimension to our offense.” The guy is 30 years old. He’s been around. He knows what a winning team looks like because he’s played on them.
And that $13 million number again. It’s almost too good. Kennard could be trade bait down the line if the Suns need to sweeten a deal for a bigger name. Or they could just keep him and enjoy having one of the most efficient shooters in the league on a contract that basically everyone else is going to regret not matching.
The Suns know exactly what they have. The question is whether the rest of the West was paying attention.
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