The biggest and most important move the Los Angeles Lakers made this summer was acquiring young and promising center Walker Kessler in a sign-and-trade with the Utah Jazz. Kessler was a restricted free agent and the Lakers were intent on getting him from the Jazz, sending two first-round picks and two pick swaps to get the deal done and sign him to a new four-year, $130 million contract.
Some have looked at the trade and believe the Lakers gave up too much in basically sending away all of their draft capital. However, superstar guard Luka Doncic reportedly pushed hard for the Lakers to make the move, via Iztok Franko of Diggin Basketball:
The price the Lakers paid for Kessler was a steep one: unprotected first-round picks in 2031 and 2033, along with first-round swap rights in 2028 and 2030. It is comparable to, and in some cases exceeds, what other teams paid this summer for established stars like Jaylen Brown, LaMelo Ball, and Kawhi Leonard.
At the same time, there is a perfectly valid counterargument. If Kessler was the franchise center Doncic wanted so badly, and from the people I’ve spoken to I can confirm he pushed hard for this move, then perhaps that was simply the cost of doing business.
This offseason was all about building the right team around Doncic and the Lakers were known to be in contact with their star throughout this entire process. The most important thing to Doncic was finding the right center to pair with and both he and the Lakers locked in on Kessler so the front office did what they felt was necessary to land him.
It is a risk considering Kessler has not established himself as an All-Star caliber player yet, and his injury history as he played just five games last season due to a torn labrum. But the Lakers were going to do what they needed to appease their superstar and Doncic operates best with a big man who he can pair with in the pick-and-roll so giving up that draft capital was something that needed to happen in their eyes.
Hawks not interested in Lakers’ Jarred Vanderbilt in Jonathan Kuminga sign-and-trade
The Lakers are still working to fill out the rest of the roster around Doncic and one player the front office is trying to bring in is wing Jonathan Kuminga. The Lakers and Atlanta Hawks have discussed a potential sign-and-trade, but Atlanta reportedly has no desire to bring back Jarred Vanderbilt in the deal.
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