The Los Angeles Lakers have made a move to bring in a big man. They have traded for Walker Kessler from the Utah Jazz in exchange for unprotected first-round picks in 2031 and 2033 and first-round swaps in 2028 and 2030.
Kessler is going to sign a four-year, $130 million contract with the Lakers. The deal will also include a player option in the fourth year and a fill trade kicker.
How We Got Here:
This move has been in the works for quite some time. There has been speculation about the Lakers being interested in trading for Kessler going back a couple of seasons. Despite Kessler having his eye on Los Angeles as a potential destination, nothing has happened until now.
Kessler turned down the Jazz’s offer of five years and roughly $140 million back in June. That set the stage for a potential trade because it allowed teams to avoid all the complications of the first and second aprons.
What This Means:
Jazz:
The Jazz are shifting their priorities in a different direction. The fact that they failed to come to terms with Kessler earlier during the offseason was a sign of that. However, the fact that they do have Jaren Jackson Jr. in the building will allow them to compensate for that.
They still have an extremly young and talented roster that is poised to take a step forward. Now, however, they will have to rely on other players to step up on the defensive side to make up for the loss of Kessler.
Lakers
The Lakers are getting the true rim-protecting center that they have been searching for. Kessler has been one of the best shot blockers since he entered the league in 2022. Only Victor Wembanyama(3.5) has averaged more blocks than Kessler(2.4) since he entered the league.
He will help the Lakers on the offensive end after they ranked 29th in offensive rebounding. That will allow the Lakers and Luka Doncic to get many more second-chance points.
Grades:
Jazz: A
The fact that the Jazz were able to get two unprotected first-round picks and two pick swaps for Kessler already makes this a great trade for them. The fact that they avoided giving Kessler a massive contract makes the deal even better.
It is true that it leaves them with a need for center, but they have plenty of options to try and fill that hole. They can try putting Jackson there or simply plug in Jusuf Nurkic. They could also package the deals and trade for a better long-term fit at center.
Lakers: C
This move makes it clear that this is now Doncic’s team. He has always thrived next to a rim-running big, and that is exactly what Kessler is. He is also a great rim-running defender.
However, the true extent of his value is unknown, and the Lakers gave up a lot to trade for him and then gave him a massive $130 million contract. He isn’t a proven center yet, and his scoring still leaves a lot to be desired.
It’ll be interesting to see what the Lakers look like next season with a completely new roster. The Jazz, on the other hand, will still be looking to make the major step forward that everyone predicted for them.
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