The Los Angeles Lakers could use a true center to man the middle for them in their starting lineup next season, and one talented big man who has had his name swirl in trade rumors all offseason long could be just the guy they’ve been longing for.
Lakers could keep tabs on a trade for Jazz center Walker Kessler in 2024-25
Utah Jazz center Walker Kessler appears destined to be traded before the 2024-25 NBA trade deadline. The 7-1, 245-pound big man would be a quintessential complement to Lakers superstar power forward Anthony Davis in Los Angeles’ frontcourt thanks to his size, defensive capabilities, and potential to be a disruptor out of the pick-and-roll and dunker spot.
Kessler has been an exceptional interior presence in two seasons as a pro
Kessler finished No. 3 in Rookie of the Year voting in 2022-23 thanks to the 9.2 points, 8.4 rebounds, and 2.3 blocks he put up per game on a staggering 72 percent shooting from the field in only 23 minutes of nightly action. He followed that up by posting 8.1 PPG, 7.5 RPG, and 2.4 BPG for Utah last season.
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Kessler would help the Lakers in several areas despite the Jazz’s costly asking price
The Georgia native would help a Lakers team that had the 10th-worst rebounding differential (0.9 RPG) and allowed opponents to corral the sixth-most offensive rebounds a night (10.9 OREB) in 2023-24, while also helping them improve from averaging the seventh-most blocks per contest (5.5 BPG) on the upcoming campaign.
He’d also allow the Lakers (10.4 PPG) to overtake the Indiana Pacers (10.6 PPG) as the team with the highest-scoring pick-setters out of the screen-and-roll next time out, and enable their superstar playmaker LeBron James to feast in the half-court even more than he already does.
Seeing that Kessler is under contract for three more seasons, where he’ll make $2.9 million, $4.8M, and $7M in each of those ensuing years, he remains one of the most cost-effective, high-upside players on the entire open market. Despite this, the Jazz have reportedly put a steep price tag of two first-round picks over their five-man’s head, which may deter L.A. from flooring it on their pursuit of the Auburn product.
Nevertheless, with Lakers general manager Rob Pelinka recently declaring that he’ll push for any move that’ll bring the franchise sustained excellence over the long term, anything is possible. The 23-year-old talent would give the team just that for all that he’s worth. The Lakers also have several highly enticing pieces they could throw into any trade package they send the Jazz’s way for Kessler, leaving the door open for negotiations to take shape in the future.