Luke Kennard is replacing Grayson Allen with the Phoenix Suns in more ways than one.
Signing a two-year deal with a player option on the second year, Kennard will wear the same No. 8 Allen sported in his three seasons with the Suns.
They were Duke teammates for two seasons (2015-17), too.
Allen wore No. 3. Kennard No. 5. Three plus five equals eight. Just saying.
More importantly for the Suns, adding Kennard addresses the 3-point void created when Phoenix traded Royce O’Neale and Allen to the Charlotte Hornets for Miles Bridges.
“Luke’s work ethic and commitment to his craft have made him one of the most efficient three-point shooters in NBA history,” said Suns general manager Brian Gregory, in a July 14 news release officially announcing the team had acquired the free agent. “His floor spacing, high basketball IQ and connective playmaking bring another dimension to our offense. We’re excited to welcome Luke and his family to Phoenix.”
Terms of the free-agent signing were not announced by the Suns, but it previously was reported as a two-year, $13 million deal.
Allen led the NBA in 3-point shooting percentage at a career-best 46.1% in his first year with the Suns in 2023-24. He shot 41% in his three seasons in Phoenix.
Allen only knocked down 34.9% of his deep hoists last season, but he averaged 16.5 points, a career high, and took on more of a playmaker role.
O’Neale also had a career-best stretch from 3 with the Suns. The veteran forward shot 40.3% in his three seasons in Phoenix. O’Neale reached 40% in each of his last two seasons.
Kennard has led the league in 3-point shooting percentage three times: 47.8% last season in a career-high 78 games; a career-best 49.4% for a season in 59 games in 2022-23; and 44.9% in 70 games in 2021-22.
Two of those seasons were split between two teams.
In 2022-23, Kennard suited up for the Los Angeles Clippers and Memphis Grizzlies, where he and Suns forward Dillon Brooks were teammates. He hit a career-best 54% with the Grizzlies that season.
Then last season, Kennard started with the Atlanta Hawks and ended with the Los Angeles Lakers. Kennard knocked down 49.7% of his launches with the Hawks, 44.8% with the Lakers.
Here’s one more number to consider.
Allen attempted 1,250 shots from 3 in his three seasons in Phoenix, making 513. In his career-best year from 3, Allen also nailed a career-high 205 3s on 445 attempts. Last season, he attempted a career-high 455 3s.
In comparison, over the last three seasons, Kennard put up 744 3s, making 337.
Kennard played 182 games during this stretch, Allen 190. Allen played more minutes at 5,524 to Kennard’s 4,152.
That helps explain the difference in attempts, but Kennard should get more looks from 3 in Phoenix, as should Collin Gillespie, who set the franchise single-season record for made 3s at 232 on a career-best 578 attempts last season.
The numbers also say Kennard has been up to the challenge when asked to crank out 3s.
The first season he led the NBA in 3-point percentage at 44.9%, Kennard set career highs for made 3s at 190 and attempts at 423.
Have opinions about the current state of the Suns? Reach Suns Insider Duane Rankin at dmrankin@gannett.com or contact him at 480-810-5518. Follow him on X, formerly Twitter, at @DuaneRankin.
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This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: How Luke Kennard could fuel 3-point output for Phoenix Suns
