The Atlanta Hawks are 1-3. This has not been the start that fans had long hoped for after an exciting offseason of moves. One of the biggest stories surrounding the franchise this summer was when they brought in Luke Kennard, one of the league's best outside shooters, on a one-year deal.
People figured Kennard would have an immediate impact due to his offensive versatility and shotmaking ability. A player with the third-highest three point percentage in NBA history on a team led by the best playmaker in the world sounds like a match made in heaven.
This has not been the case, at least not so far, and it may not be entirely the fault of Kennard. His role in the second unit has looked awkward. Atlanta's offense, in general, has looked awkward. Despite whatever excitement may have blinded fans, this was always going to be the case.
All the new pieces have had to adjust, and they are slowly beginning to. Most of them, at least, have seen steady shot volume and offensive priority in their roles. Kristaps Porzingis is averaging an efficient 23.5 points, while Nickeil Alexander-Walker has the highest three-point volume on the team.
Still very, very, very early in the season.
— Zach Langley (@langleyatl) October 28, 2025
This was only the second game this starting lineup has played together.
They looked a lot more comfortable tonight.
Baby steps.
The same cannot be said for Luke Kennard. While he's shown flashes of efficient ball, his role has varied in all four games, leaving him in a weird position. The career 43% three-point shooter is shooting a mere 30% from deep.
What should make Hawks fans optimistic, though, is that this low percentage is a bit misleading. It has come on very low volume. He is only putting up 2.5 threes a game, something that would be a career low if the season ended today. Even in his rookie season, Kennard got up 2.7 a game on much better efficiency.
Atlanta has not run much action to get him involved on the offensive end.
Weirdly enough, in Atlanta's lone win this season against the Orlando Magic, Kennard did not attempt a single three. Fans have been frustrated at his lack of shooting, as that was the biggest reason Atlanta was interested in bringing him in.
Kennard said that Quin Snyder wants him to get out there and let it fly, so the fact that the game plan has not prioritized getting him open looks is a bit surprising. Even in the few cases where he has had some space to shoot, he has instead chosen to head-fake and drive, leading to either a turnover or a bad look.
Grizzlies fans have been telling Hawks fans to temper their expectations for Kennard all offseason, as his shot selection, or the lack thereof, can become quite frustrating at the worst time. The great thing about the NBA, however, is that there are 82 games in a season. There is plenty of time for Kennard and the Hawks to figure out a path forward.
It will be interesting to see how Kennard's three point volume increases as the season progresses. The fact that he can handle the ball is a major plus, but if Atlanta truly wants him to be effective on the court, they need to be doing everything in their power to get him steady open looks from deep.