After acquiring Luka Doncic from the Dallas Mavericks on Sunday, the Los Angeles Lakers have a glaring frontcourt issue.
By landing a young Utah Jazz stud center, the Lakers could be in decent shape from a low post-production standpoint.
“Danny Ainge wants a king’s ransom for him,” CBS Sports’ Sam Quinn wrote Friday.
“Now might be the time for the Lakers to pay it. The real advantage of landing (Walker) Kessler, aside from his elite rim-protection, is that he’s earning peanuts.”
“He is making less than $3 million this season, less than $5 million next season, and his cap hold as a restricted free agent in 2026 would be roughly $14.6 million.”
“Landing him as the center of the future would put the Lakers in a great position to add salary around him.”
“He would almost certainly cost, at a bare minimum, (Dalton) Knecht, the 2031 pick and the removal of existing protections on that 2027 pick. He might even cost more.”
Utah possesses a dreadful 11-36 record through 47 games, but Kessler has established himself as one of the league’s most talented up-and-coming two-way centers.
Whether he’s collecting misses off the rim, showcasing his soft hands and reliable finishing ability in pick-and-roll situations, or meeting opponents at the rim defensively, Kessler maximizes his opportunities on the hardwood.
The Auburn product averages 10.9 points, 11.4 rebounds, and 2.3 blocks per contest on 72.2% field goal shooting.
While Kessler isn’t the most physical big man in the league, he would give the Lakers a multi-dimensional frontcourt threat with a ridiculously high upside in the big leagues.
Like Myles Turner, however, Kessler wouldn’t come cheap, likely forcing Los Angeles to end their tenure with Knecht prematurely.
The Lakers may consider searching for a less expensive Anthony Davis replacement on the trade market.
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