The Memphis Grizzlies were one of the most active teams during the NBA free agency when it began. For the first time in years, the team decided to break up its core of Ja Morant, Desmond Bane, and Jaren Jackson Jr.
As the Grizzlies gear up for what seems to be a new era with Zach Edey, Jaylen Wells, Ty Jerome, and some of their other key young pieces, they quietly let go of a very pivotal player.
For the past three seasons, the Grizzlies have had one of the greatest three-point shooters in the NBA with Luke Kennard. In three seasons with the team, he averaged 46.2% shooting from deep on five attempts per game.
Apr 26, 2025; Memphis, Tennessee, USA; Memphis Grizzlies guard Luke Kennard (10) shoots as Oklahoma City Thunder guard Isaiah Joe (11) defends during the second quarter during game four for the first round of the 2024 NBA Playoffs at FedExForum. Mandatory Credit: Petre Thomas-Imagn Images / Petre Thomas-Imagn Images
In July, Kennard officially signed with the Atlanta Hawks, as the team announced that they signed the third-highest percentage three-point shooter in NBA history.
“We’re excited to add Luke to our group,” said Hawks General Manager Onsi Saleh in July. “Luke is a great connector. He’s an elite shooter and proven playmaker with a high basketball IQ and team-first mentality. He fills multiple needs for us, and we believe he’s going to make our team better.”
He’s a Hawk! 🖊️ @LukeKennard5 pic.twitter.com/aHOCN7oYHh
— Atlanta Hawks (@ATLHawks) July 9, 2025
Surprisingly, just a year ago, Grizzlies general manager Zach Kleiman considered Kennard a great fit for the team.
“We still feel very strongly about Luke as someone who’s a great fit as part of this group,” Kleiman said in 2024. “Nothing else I can really say on the matter at the time. More focused on the draft for tonight.”
Apr 24, 2025; Memphis, Tennessee, USA; Memphis Grizzlies guard Luke Kennard (10) shoots during the second quarter against the Oklahoma City Thunder during game three for the first round of the 2024 NBA Playoffs at FedExForum. Mandatory Credit: Petre Thomas-Imagn Images / Petre Thomas-Imagn Images
Without both Kennard and Bane, the Grizzlies will be missing major key players in floor spacing. Last season with Memphis, Kennard shot 43.3% from deep on four attempts a game. Unfortunately, the biggest issue with Kennard has seemingly been that he doesn’t shoot enough three-pointers with how good a shooter he actually is – a problem he also had with the LA Clippers.
Kennard is capable of offensive explosions and has had multiple 30-point games for the Grizzlies, providing a huge relief off the bench. However, with the emergence of Jaylen Wells and the new addition of Ty Jerome, Memphis could still pack a huge offensive punch with its reserve unit.
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