The Los Angeles Lakers have been on the search for a quality starting center for a couple years now and have had their eyes on several targets in that span. One of the most recent names in the Lakers center search was Utah Jazz big man Walker Kessler. A strong rebounder, rim protector and efficient finisher at the rim, Kessler seemed like an ideal fit of multiple iterations of the Lakers roster.
However, the asking price to pry him away from the Jazz was always too steep. When there was the most momentum on a deal last season, the Jazz were asking for both of L.A.’s 2029 and 2031 first round picks unprotected. L.A. declined and ultimately used the 2029 pick to land Luka Doncic from the Dallas Mavericks.
But with the Lakers even more in need of a center now, and Kessler still on a Jazz team that does not have a clear direction, the interest in the big man remains strong. Dave McMenamin of ESPN spoke about this on a podcast appearance:
“The only thing on that front… is that Walker Kessler remains a name the Lakers are intrigued by. Whether that will lead to any sort of deal, obviously last year, the asking price was too steep and, obviously, the Lakers ended up pivoting those assets that they were considering moving to the Jazz to get Kessler in order to do the Luka [Doncic] trade. That came off the table after the Luka trade. If they do revisit it, that remains a player that the Lakers feel could fit the void that they have at center. I’m not reporting anything’s moving towards [a deal] or picking up steam or anything like that, but Kessler remains on the Lakers radar.”
McMenamin states that there is no momentum of any kind towards a trade but that the Lakers are simply keeping an eye on the situation. Kessler is entering his age-24 season and would be a strong fit next to Doncic, LeBron James and Austin Reaves.
But it’s possible that when the dust settles, Utah’s asking price remains too high for a deal to get done, and the Lakers will have to proceed with other options.
Lakers target Steven Adams signs extension with Rockets
Another center the Lakers might have potentially looked at in free agency was Steven Adams. The veteran big man was incredible during the Houston Rockets’ first round series against the Golden State Warriors, despite the loss, and could have garnered interest from a number of teams.
Instead, he signed a three year, $39 million extension to stay in Houston, so the Lakers and other teams will have to look elsewhere for center upgrades.
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