In game one of the first round of the playoffs, against the Houston Rockets, Luke Kennard recorded 27 points, four rebounds, and three assists in 38 minutes, shooting 9-13 from the field and 5-5 from a distance.
However, about three years ago, Kennard was suiting up for the LA Clippers. Though he was a great floor spacer and certified fan favorite, LA made what they thought was a simple trade that involved the sharpshooting wing for a 34-year-old Eric Gordon, as well as other assets from Memphis and Houston, which is a move the front office dearly regrets.
Now, everyone on the Clippers’ side of town gets to witness the pain of watching Kennard excel for their top rival next to LeBron James in the absence of Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves while Kawhi Leonard and Co. enter the offseason early following a disappointing loss to the Golden State Warriors.
Trading Luke Kennard was nowhere near worth it
The LA Clippers’ front office has made a handful of mistakes over the years, but trading Luke Kennard for an aging veteran in Eric Gordon, who only lasted 22 games in LA, and three second-round draft picks has to be among the worst.
Overall, as a Clipper for 168 games, Kennard averaged 9.7 points, 2.8 rebounds, and 1.7 assists, shooting 46.0% from the floor and 44.2% from beyond the arc.
Although the three-point percentage may initially seem like a typo, it’s not. Kennard is arguably the best shooter the Clippers have ever rostered, and what must also be noted is the volume, as he recorded that level of efficiency from deep on 4.6 attempts per game.
In addition, Kennard played his heart out for the Clippers. He did absolutely everything he could in a time of injuries and had countless, memorable buckets, like his infamous four-point game-winner that capped off a historic 35-point comeback versus the Washington Wizards.
That said, the Clippers could’ve easily worked around Kennard’s defensive limitations, which was viewed as the reason for the trade. In fact, Tyronn Lue is no stranger to doing so, as he managed LA’s lineups just fine with James Harden for years, and has done well with Darius Garland.
They just messed up, extremely badly, thinking Gordon was a true upgrade, and at this point, they’re left with pure regret.
It hurts even worse knowing Kennard is making the Clippers realize where they went wrong in purple and gold.
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