The Los Angeles Lakers enter the offseason needing a center, perhaps a bigger need than any other team in the NBA. For the Lakers to be the team they aspire to be, it must start on the defensive side of basketball.
The Lakers need to add a center who can protect the rim, something that every contending team in the NBA wants. However, with limited assets, unless they’re willing to move on from Austin Reaves, it might not be that easy for the Lakers to find a starting-caliber center.
Despite that, according to Brett Siegel of Clutch Points, the Lakers are interested in Walker Kessler, and he is currently high on their wish list. Despite that, it remains uncertain whether the Lakers will have the opportunity to acquire him, as the Utah Jazz haven’t made him available.
“Los Angeles Lakers: As reported by ClutchPoints’ Los Angeles Lakers insider Anthony Irwin, the Lakers have discussed a potential John Collins trade with the Utah Jazz. Collins has long been on LA’s radar as an athletic power forward who can stretch the floor and be a threat to score outside of Luka Doncic and LeBron James. Walker Kessler remains high on the Lakers’ wish list as well, although league sources continue to downplay his actual availability in Utah,” he wrote.
Not the Lakers’ First Try to Acquire Kessler
According to recent reports, the Los Angeles Lakers have attempted to trade for Kessler. The latest report came from Andy Larson of the Salt Lake Tribune, who added that the Lakers have an offer out for Kessler, but it isn’t enough for the Utah Jazz to accept the deal.
“I think there’s been an offer presented for Walker Kessler. And, certainly the Lakers have shown significant interest all the way back to the deadline, certainly continuing now,” Larson said during an appearance on the “Locked on Jazz” podcast.
“And him being their future of the center, giving up multiple picks to get there, that is on the table right now. I don’t know if the Jazz take it. Certainly, they haven’t so far.”
How Desperate Will the Lakers Be for a Big Man?
If the Los Angeles Lakers want Kessler, it might require them to overpay. Danny Ainge is very good at his job and won’t take just anything for an offer.
Kessler, who played in 58 games last season, averaged 11.1 points and 12.2 rebounds. He was out for a bit due to some injuries, but has been very good for the rest of his career.
Averaging 2.4 blocks in each of the past two seasons, and 2.3 in his rookie season, Kessler has shown the ability to be a potential All-Defensive player in the NBA.
However, that doesn’t mean the Los Angeles Lakers should overpay for him, which Zack Buckley of Bleacher Report advised against in a recent article.
“They just can’t afford to go overboard when the return is, again, good enough. He is a piece of the puzzle, not a centerpiece, and that’s an issue when history suggests Jazz CEO Danny Ainge will seek out a centerpiece-level return.
“L.A. would, admittedly, have trouble even matching that price. The Lakers have one first-round pick to trade. Packaging that with Dalton Knecht and a future first-round swap probably isn’t getting a deal done,” he wrote.
