Veteran sharpshooter Luke Kennard is not expected to return to the Memphis Grizzlies in free agency, according to a report by HoopsHype’s Michael Scotto.
Kennard, 29, has spent the last three seasons in Memphis, providing floor spacing and efficient perimeter shooting. He is an unrestricted free agent after completing a one-year, $9.3 million deal for the 2024-25 season.
Across 65 regular-season games this year, the lefty guard averaged 8.9 points and 3.3 assists per game while shooting 43.3 percent from beyond the arc. He started 11 games for a Grizzlies squad that finished 48-34 and secured the No. 8 seed in the Western Conference.
Known for his elite three-point accuracy, Kennard shot above 43 percent from deep in each of his two full seasons with the franchise. His shooting touch provided vital support alongside Memphis’ core of Ja Morant, Desmond Bane, and Jaren Jackson Jr.
In the 2025 postseason, Kennard appeared in four games, averaging 4.5 points on 44.4 percent shooting. His playoff role diminished as Memphis leaned more heavily on its primary playmakers and defensive units.
Originally selected 12th overall by the Detroit Pistons in the 2017 NBA Draft, Kennard has played eight seasons with stops in Detroit, the Los Angeles Clippers, and Memphis. He holds career averages of 9.8 points, 2.3 assists, and 43.8 percent shooting from three-point range.
His best statistical season came in 2019-20 with the Pistons, when he posted 15.8 points and 4.1 assists per game over 28 appearances. Injuries and role fluctuations have since shaped his journey into one of the league’s most reliable shooting specialists off the bench.
