The Los Angeles Lakers ranked 23rd in the NBA in three-point shooting percentage at 34.8% before acquiring Luke Kennard on February 5, 2026. The team attempts 32.7 three-pointers per game and makes only 11.4 of those attempts. This poor perimeter shooting forces defenses to pack the paint against Luka Doncic, LeBron James, and Anthony Davis, limiting driving lanes and making the Lakers offense predictable.
You want to understand why the Lakers struggle to shoot threes because this weakness explains their playoff concerns and why they traded for Kennard. This article breaks down the Lakers shooting problems by player, explains how poor spacing hurts their stars, and shows what needs to change for championship success.
The Lakers Three-Point Shooting Rankings
The Lakers shoot 34.8% from three-point range through 30 games of the 2025-26 season. This percentage ranks 23rd out of 30 NBA teams. Only the Chicago Bulls, Detroit Pistons, Charlotte Hornets, Utah Jazz, Brooklyn Nets, Portland Trail Blazers, and Washington Wizards shoot worse from three than Los Angeles. Six of those seven teams are rebuilding. The Lakers are trying to compete for a championship.
The league average three-point percentage hovers around 36.5% this season. The Lakers shoot 1.7 percentage points below league average. Over 82 games, this gap translates to approximately 40 fewer made threes compared to an average shooting team. In close playoff games, those missed threes determine outcomes.
The Boston Celtics lead the NBA in three-point shooting at 39.1%. The Celtics attempt 46.3 threes per game and make 18.1. They take 13.6 more three-point attempts than the Lakers and make 6.7 more per game. This volume and efficiency create a massive advantage. The Celtics scored nearly 20 additional points per game from three-pointers alone.
The Cleveland Cavaliers rank second at 38.9% from three. The New York Knicks rank third at 38.7%. All three top contenders in the Eastern Conference shoot elite percentages from beyond the arc. The Lakers must improve their shooting to compete with these teams in potential Finals matchups.
READ HOW THIS IS CONNECTED TO LUKE KENNARD
Individual Player Shooting Struggles
Luka Doncic leads the Lakers in three-point attempts with 9.1 per game. He makes 3.4 of those attempts for 37.4% accuracy. This percentage ranks as average for the league. Doncic needs to shoot threes to keep defenses honest, but his volume creates spacing even when his percentage is merely average. Defenses must respect his range.
Austin Reaves shoots 36.2% from three on 5.7 attempts per game. He makes 2.1 threes per contest. Reaves provides steady shooting but not elite accuracy. His 36.2% sits right at league average. The Lakers need players who shoot significantly above average, not players who match league norms.
Rui Hachimura shoots 34.1% from three on 3.8 attempts per game. He makes 1.3 threes per contest. Hachimura's below-average shooting gives defenses permission to sag off him and help on drives. When the Lakers starting power forward shoots 34.1%, opposing teams exploit this weakness by leaving him open and doubling LeBron or Doncic.
Marcus Smart shoots 29.7% from three on 4.2 attempts per game. He makes 1.2 threes per contest. Smart's poor shooting represents a major problem. The Lakers brought him in for defense and leadership, but his offensive limitations hurt the team. Defenses dare him to shoot, and he misses more than 70% of his attempts.
LeBron James shoots 38.9% from three on 6.3 attempts per game. He makes 2.5 threes per contest. LeBron's shooting remains solid at age 40, but his volume is lower than in previous years. He no longer takes as many difficult contested threes. Most of his attempts come from catch-and-shoot opportunities created by Doncic's playmaking.
D'Angelo Russell shoots 35.1% from three on 6.8 attempts per game. He makes 2.4 threes per contest. Russell provides volume but not elite accuracy. His career percentage is 36.2%, so his current 35.1% represents a slight decline. The Lakers need Russell to shoot closer to 40% given his volume.
Jarred Vanderbilt shoots 31.8% from three on 1.9 attempts per game. He makes 0.6 threes per contest. Vanderbilt plays primarily for defense and rebounding, but his inability to stretch the floor limits his offensive value. Teams ignore him on the perimeter entirely.
How Poor Shooting Hurts Luka Doncic
Doncic thrives when surrounded by shooters who spread the floor. In Dallas, he played alongside players like Kyrie Irving, Tim Hardaway Jr., and Maxi Kleber who all shot above 37% from three. Defenses had to respect every player on the court. When Doncic drove to the rim, defenders stayed glued to their assignments because helping off meant giving up an open three to an accurate shooter.
With the Lakers, Doncic faces packed paint defenses. When he drives left, defenders collapse from multiple angles. They know Rui Hachimura shoots 34.1% and Marcus Smart shoots 29.7%, so they leave those players to help on Doncic. This defensive strategy forces Doncic into difficult shots or turnovers when he tries forcing passes through traffic.
Doncic's assist numbers reflect this spacing problem. He averaged 9.8 assists per game in Dallas but only 8.3 assists per game with the Lakers. The drop occurred because Lakers role players miss open threes when Doncic creates for them. In Dallas, teammates converted those same passes into made baskets more frequently.
Doncic's scoring efficiency has declined slightly with the Lakers. He scores 33.6 points per game on 46.8% shooting from the field. In his final Dallas season, he scored 32.7 points per game on 48.7% shooting. The two-point drop in field goal percentage reflects the tighter defenses he faces due to poor spacing.
How Poor Shooting Hurts LeBron James
LeBron James has always performed best with elite shooters surrounding him. His championship teams in Miami featured Ray Allen and Mike Miller. His Cleveland championship team featured Kyrie Irving, Kevin Love, and J.R. Smith. His 2020 Lakers championship team featured Danny Green, Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, and a roster of solid perimeter shooters.
At age 40, LeBron relies more on basketball IQ than athleticism. He reads defenses, makes the right pass, and gets teammates open looks. When those teammates miss open threes, LeBron's playmaking value decreases. The missed shots affect team morale and offensive rhythm.
LeBron's usage rate has increased with the Lakers. He handles the ball on 28.7% of Lakers possessions when he is on the court. This high usage occurs because the Lakers lack secondary playmakers who threaten defenses. If LeBron does not create offense, the team struggles to generate quality shots.
The physical toll of high usage affects LeBron's body. He plays 35.4 minutes per game at age 40. The heavy workload increases injury risk. If the Lakers surrounded LeBron with better shooters, he could play fewer minutes and preserve energy for the playoffs. Instead, he carries a massive offensive burden game after game.
How Poor Shooting Hurts Anthony Davis
Anthony Davis operates most effectively in the mid-range and paint. He shoots 52.9% from the field and averages 25.1 points per game. Davis provides elite scoring efficiency, but defenses make his life difficult when they collapse on drives.
Davis benefits from kick-out passes to open shooters. When he posts up on the left block, he reads the defense. If a help defender comes, Davis kicks to the wing for an open three. When Lakers perimeter players miss those open looks, Davis stops trusting them. He forces difficult shots instead of making the right pass.
Davis attempts 1.2 three-pointers per game and makes 30.8%. His low three-point volume reflects the Lakers offense design. The team wants Davis operating near the basket where his size and skill create advantages. When perimeter spacing collapses, Davis faces double and triple teams in the paint. His efficiency suffers as a result.
The Lakers offensive rating drops significantly when Davis plays without LeBron or Doncic. The bench units lack playmaking and shooting. Davis cannot carry the offense alone against set defenses. The team desperately needs shooters who produce without requiring high-level playmakers to create their shots.
Comparing Lakers Shooting to Western Conference Contenders
The Denver Nuggets rank 8th in three-point shooting at 37.4%. Nikola Jokic orchestrates an offense featuring Jamal Murray, Michael Porter Jr., and Kentavious Caldwell-Pope as perimeter threats. The Nuggets space the floor properly and make Jokic's passing more effective.
The Minnesota Timberwolves rank 11th in three-point shooting at 36.9%. Anthony Edwards, Karl-Anthony Towns, and Mike Conley provide shooting around Rudy Gobert. The Timberwolves overcome Gobert's offensive limitations through elite perimeter shooting.
The Phoenix Suns rank 14th in three-point shooting at 36.4%. Kevin Durant, Devin Booker, and Bradley Beal all shoot above average from three. The Suns create mismatches because defenses must respect multiple scoring threats.
The Oklahoma City Thunder rank 5th in three-point shooting at 37.8%. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Jalen Williams, and Chet Holmgren operate in a pace-and-space system. The Thunder represent the future of NBA offense with youth, athleticism, and shooting.
The Lakers rank 23rd at 34.8%. Every Western Conference playoff contender shoots better than the Lakers from three-point range. This gap explains why oddsmakers favor other teams despite the Lakers having LeBron James, Luka Doncic, and Anthony Davis. Star power matters, but championship teams need role players who execute fundamentals like shooting open threes.
Why Gabe Vincent Did Not Solve the Problem
The Lakers signed Gabe Vincent to a three-year, $33 million contract in summer 2023. The deal was based on Vincent's 2023 playoff performance with the Miami Heat. He shot 35.0% from three in the playoffs and provided secondary ball-handling alongside Jimmy Butler.
Vincent appeared in only 11 games during the 2023-24 season due to knee injury. He required surgery and missed most of the year. The Lakers hoped he would provide shooting and playmaking, but his unavailability forced them to rely on other players.
Vincent played 45 games in 2024-25 and shot 35.9% from three. This percentage ranks as league average. The Lakers needed above-average shooting, not average shooting. Vincent's 35.9% was an improvement over Marcus Smart's 29.7%, but not enough to change the team's offensive identity.
Vincent appeared in 38 games this season before his trade to Atlanta. He averaged 6.8 points, 2.5 assists, and 1.8 rebounds in 20.3 minutes per game. His production was solid but not exceptional. The Lakers decided they needed elite shooting more than steady veteran presence.
Trading Vincent for Luke Kennard represents a clear upgrade in shooting percentage. Vincent shot 35.9% from three with the Lakers. Kennard shoots 49.7% from three this season. The 13.8 percentage point gap is enormous. If both players attempt five threes per game, Kennard makes 2.5 while Vincent makes 1.8. The extra 0.7 made threes per game (2.1 points) adds up over 82 games.
What Luke Kennard Brings to Fix the Problem
Kennard leads the NBA in three-point shooting percentage at 49.7%. His arrival immediately improves the Lakers shooting. He provides floor spacing the team desperately needs. Defenses must respect his shooting threat, opening driving lanes for Doncic, LeBron, and Reaves.
Kennard excels as a catch-and-shoot specialist. He does not need multiple dribbles to get his shot off. NBA tracking data shows 89% of his three-point attempts come with zero dribbles. This style fits perfectly with the Lakers playmaking. Doncic drives and kicks. LeBron penetrates and finds shooters. Kennard catches and shoots in rhythm.
His quick release gives defenders minimal time to contest. Kennard catches the ball with his feet set and shooting pocket ready. He rises and releases in one fluid motion. By the time help defenders rotate, the ball is already in the air.
Kennard's accuracy forces defensive adjustments. When he spots up in the corner, at least one defender must stay attached. This prevents defensive rotations that would normally collapse on drives. The Lakers offense becomes less predictable when defenses must account for Kennard's shooting.
Expect Kennard's volume to increase from 3.2 attempts per game with Atlanta to 5.0 or more with the Lakers. The coaching staff will design actions to free him. Anthony Davis sets screens for Kennard coming off pin-downs. LeBron runs DHO (dribble handoff) with Kennard on the wing. Doncic throws skip passes when help defenders collapse. These simple plays maximize elite shooting talent.
The Lakers Shooting After the Kennard Trade
Adding Kennard should improve the Lakers team three-point percentage by approximately 1.5 to 2.0 percentage points. If the team shot 34.8% before and Kennard shoots 49.7% while replacing players who shot 35.9%, the overall percentage rises. The exact impact depends on how many minutes Kennard plays and whether his accuracy holds at current levels.
The Lakers will still need additional shooting help. One elite shooter does not fix a team-wide problem. Rui Hachimura still shoots 34.1%. Marcus Smart still shoots 29.7%. Jarred Vanderbilt still shoots 31.8%. These players remain on the roster and will play significant minutes.
The Lakers may pursue buyout market shooters after March 1. Teams that miss the playoffs often buy out veteran contracts. Players like Joe Harris, Garrison Mathews, or Doug McDermott could become available. The Lakers have roster spots and minimum salary exceptions to add shooting depth.
The Lakers coaching staff must commit to taking more threes. The team attempts 32.7 threes per game, which ranks 28th in the NBA. Volume matters almost as much as accuracy. The Boston Celtics win games by attempting 46.3 threes per game. Even at 39.1% accuracy, high volume produces results. The Lakers need to embrace modern offensive philosophy and launch more threes.
This article connects to the main Lakers trade analysis by explaining the urgent need for shooting that drove the front office to acquire Kennard at the trade deadline. The Lakers poor three-point shooting percentage ranked 23rd in the league and limited the effectiveness of their star players. Understanding this context makes clear why Kennard represents such a valuable addition despite his defensive limitations.
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