Atlanta Hawks linked to sharpshooter Luke Kennard

NBA free agency is set to begin in about an hour, and the Atlanta Hawks are expected to be very active in their attempt to build a winner around star point guard Trae Young.

The first domino fell last week, with the Hawks acquiring Kristaps Porzingis in a three-way trade with the Celtics and Bucks. Now, they are being called the favorites for Nickeil Alexander-Walker, and they are also reportedly interested in sharpshooting wing Luke Kennard.

“The Hawks and Nuggets, sources say, also have interest in Kennard,” Marc Stein and Jake Fisher report for The Stein Line. “Atlanta landing both Kennard and Nickeil Alexander-Walker would mark noted boosts to its wing rotation.”

Dating back to the 2020-2021 season, nobody has shot the ball better from behind the arc than Luke Kennard. He’s shooting a remarkable 45.4% on threes over the last five seasons, primarily in a reserve role for the Clippers and Grizzlies.

Kennard does leave a lot to be desired on the defensive end of the floor, but with Dyson Daniels and Zaccharie Risacher in the fold, clearly the Hawks are willing to give up a little bit defensively in return for elite three-point shooting to pair with arguably the best playmaker in The Association in Trae Young.