Getty Lakers potential trade target Walker Kessler (middle)
There is certainly a universe, as has been much-discussed in and around the Lakers in recent days, in which the Purple-and-Gold come away from what has mostly been a messy and lurching start to July and the NBA offseason with a true star-caliber player to drop into starting lineup with LeBron James and Anthony Davis.
That universe has shrunken, however. Original Lakers targets Klay Thompson and Jonas Valanciunas came off the board quickly, and it appears likely that L.A. will also miss out on Bulls forward DeMar DeRozan, whose future may lie in Sacramento, it turns out.
The Lakers never had much of a chance at the likes of Paul George (off to the Sixers), and reports suggest they don’t have much interest in high-scoring, poor-defense wings like Trae Young and Zach LaVine.
So where does that leave the Lakers? Probably pointed at making a trade—if they can offload salary and stay out of the realm of the luxury tax’s dread “second apron”—for a role player, which might not be a terrible idea considering the talent their current 1-2 combo carries.
And for one prominent Lakers analyst, the ideal role player is in Utah. It’s not All-Star Lauri Markkanen. No, it’s defensive big man Walker Kessler.
Lakers Deal for Walker Kessler ‘Makes Too Much Sense’
That’s from longtime Lakers writer Trevor Lane, on the Lakers Nation podcast this week. Kessler is not the big-time name many Lakers fans want. However, he is the pure, shot-blocking man the Lakers may very well need, though.
Kessler is a 7-footer who turns just 23 this month, having been a first-round pick in 2022. He was a breakout defensive star in his first season, earning third place in the Rookie of the Year voting, but did not have a lot of growth in his second year.
He played 64 games in 2023-24, averaging 23.3 minutes per game. The Jazz were offensively challenged at times, and preferred to use Kessler off the bench frequently (he started 22 games). Kessler averaged 8.1 points and 7.5 rebounds, but, incredibly, blocked 2.4 shots in those limited minutes.
Said Lane on the podcast:
“This is my, ‘It takes too much sense not to get it done’ trade. (Guard Jalen Hood-Schifino), the 2027 (first-round) pick protections removed, the Lakers right now have 1 through 4 protections with the Utah Jazz. And a Top 6 protected 2029 first. For Walker Kessler. That’s my trade.”
Anthony Davis-Led Front Line Would Be Imposing
Indeed, it is a good deal for the Lakers, if the team wants to focus on bolstering an already solid defensive group for which offensive spacing may well have been the biggest issue in 2023-24. A defensive front of Davis and Kessler would be imposing for any team, but it would clog the middle on the offensive end for a team that needs to create space for James and Davis inside.
If the Lakers have the shooting, Kessler makes some sense. Tinkering with the 2027 first-round pick protections and giving up a future first, with Hood-Schifino makes the deal reasonably affordable for the Lakers.
“Lakers get their young big, their shot-blocking presence at the rim,” Lane said. “The Jazz, for whatever reason, aren’t all-in on Walker Kessler. They even brought him off the bench for the majority of last season, but he still blocked over 2.0 shots per game. He made a major, major negative impact on opponents’ field goal percentage at the rim.
“That’s my trade that I like. That’s my move.”