The Hawks held their annual Media Day on Monday morning and there was no shortage of intrigue. The new-look roster is heading into the season with high expectations, as the Eastern Conference is as wide-open as it has ever been.
While the familiar faces made headlines due to bold statements about the upcoming season, Hawks newcomer Luke Kennard broke down an important reason why his role could be crucial to Atlanta's success.
The layout of Media Day was straightforward. Head Coach Quin Snyder began the event by giving his opening remarks, followed by one-by-one player availability. I was in attendance covering the event, and by the time it was Luke Kennard's turn, I had an interesting question prepared for him:
I asked Luke Kennard about how he expects playing alongside Trae Young to differ from his experience with Ja Morant.
— Zach Langley (@langleyatl) September 29, 2025
He mentioned that Trae is a guy who “makes everybody around him better.”
Kennard made sure to give credit to Morant but is excited about his new opportunity.
"Memphis was your last stop. You were alongside Ja Morant. How do you expect the experience next to Trae Young to differ from what you saw next to Ja?"
Kennard responded by pointing out what separates Young from other elite point guards:
"For me, you know, playing with Trae and the way he can pass the ball, really control the offense," Kennard said, "I know he's going to find me in different situations. I know he's going to want me to shoot the ball every time I can."
He continued, displaying just how the offensive output might look:
"I think just playing with his speed and his pace and how controlled he is on the floor, it's just going to bring everybody's level up. He kind of makes everybody better around him. I'm excited."
Defenses should be terrified about the potential of this pairing
It could not be more clear how Kennard feels about this new chapter in his career. He is going to have every opportunity to shine, considering how well shooting specialists have always looked next to Trae Young.
Atlanta went to the conference finals with Kevin Huerter as their starting shooting guard. While Kennard will not be forced into a role that large, it shows how adaptable a Young-led offense can be. His role in the second unit will be significant.
His prior experience next to a smaller point guard will make this transition much easier. In the minutes where Morant and Kennard shared the floor, the offensive output was elite. If that worked, just imagine how successful Kennard will be next to the much better playmaker in Young. He should expect to see some of the most open looks of his playing career.
While the elite outside shooting is what makes him stand out from his peers, his underrated playmaking ability makes this signing that much better.
He has more than enough experience handling the rock. With Atlanta deciding on a non-traditional second unit without a true backup point guard, Kennard will have plenty of opportunities to show what he can do with the ball in his hands.
Luke Kennard is ready to make an impact in Atlanta from day one. This will be evident as soon as he hits the floor next to Trae Young on October 22nd.