The Los Angeles Lakers wasted little time reshaping their roster following the departure of LeBron James, acquiring Walker Kessler from the Utah Jazz while adding three free agents in one of the biggest moves of the offseason.
The deal sends Kessler to Los Angeles in exchange for unprotected first-round picks in 2031 and 2033, as well as first-round swap rights in 2028 and 2030, ESPN’s Shams Charania reported.
Kessler is expected to become the Lakers’ starting center immediately after agreeing to a four-year, $130 million contract that includes a player option for the final season and a full-money trade for kicker. The seven-footer reportedly turned down a five-year contract extension from Utah earlier this offseason worth approximately $140 million.
Los Angeles has been pursuing Kessler for years and finally completed the trade.
The Lakers have reached out to the Jazz multiple times about the center, and Kessler and his representatives have long considered Los Angeles as a potential landing spot, according to ESPN’s Dave McMenamin.
The move addresses one of the Lakers’ biggest weaknesses. The team ranked 29th in offensive rebounds per game last season, and Kessler established himself as one of the league’s best teams in this area.
In his most recent healthy season, he averaged 11.1 points, 12.2 rebounds and 2.4 blocks per game, and led the league with 4.6 offensive rebounds per game. Since entering the league in 2022, only Victor Wembanyama has averaged more blocks per game.
The front office took a proactive approach after ESPN reported that Luka Doncic had informed the team that he wanted to play with a “top-notch center,” and Kessler appears to fit that description.
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