NBA Trade Rumors: Los Angeles Lakers reportedly eyeing $13,372,418 Utah Jazz star to join LeBron James and Luka Doncic to add power to the squad | NBA News
The Los Angeles Lakers continue to show strong interest in acquiring Utah Jazz center Walker Kessler, according to recent reports. The team is reportedly willing to include multiple draft picks in a potential deal. It appears that they are serious about adding frontcourt depth. While talks have taken place, Utah has yet to accept any offer. So far, the situation is fluid as trade discussions continue. With LeBron James and Luka Doncic already headlining the roster, the Lakers appear focused on strengthening their interior defense ahead of the upcoming season.
Will the Utah Jazz trade Walker Kessler to the Los Angeles Lakers?
The Utah Jazz are heading into the 2025 NBA Draft with four picks and a roster full of young talent. After finishing with a league-worst 17 wins last season, the team is clearly in rebuild mode. Trade buzz has started to grow, especially around their frontcourt duo of Lauri Markkanen and Walker Kessler.Kessler, in particular, has drawn attention from playoff contenders like the Los Angeles Lakers. Despite the outside interest, Utah hasn’t shown much willingness to move the young center. However, Bleacher Report’s Dan Favale predicted the Jazz could “sell high” on Kessler before next season.“Freshly installed Utah Jazz president of basketball operations Austin Ainge is decidedly anti-tank. Dealing Walker Kessler would seem to run in opposition to that moral compass. Except not tanking in the Western Conference looks a lot like going about your business as usual. The Jazz aren’t nearly close enough to contention for them to aggressively consolidate, and Kessler is someone more valuable to a team that needs a finishing touch rather than a cornerstone,” Favale shared.Favale added, “Extending the 23-year-old is absolutely on the table. Despite Utah’s overall struggles, he has shown that he can act as the base of an interior defense, and his offensive utility may stretch beyond traditional big-man means if you buy into his 54 percent clip from floater range and three-point exploration. But this is all precisely why they may be able to get a tiny ransom for his services. Do the Los Angeles Lakers offer the Mark Williams Special (Dalton Knecht, 2031 first-round pick and a swap in 2030 and/or 2032)? Could the Jazz finagle another lottery pick from the Toronto Raptors (No. 9)? Or, along with other stuff, from the Chicago Bulls (No. 12)?”
Why Los Angeles Lakers eyeing Walker Kessler to include in their roster?
NBA insider Andy Larsen has recently shared that the Lakers have a strong interest in the $13,372,418 Power forward/ Center. Here’s why the Lakers could be interested in Kessler—– Walker Kessler may be more valuable to a contending team than to a rebuilding roster like Utah’s.– Extending Kessler is still a possibility, given his age (23) and defensive value.– Kessler has shown growth offensively, including shooting 54% from floater range and showing signs of three-point potential.Also Read: NBA Trade Rumors: Philadelphia 76ers reportedly exploring options to move $212 million star Paul GeorgeIn the 2024-25 season, Kessler averaged 11.1 points per game, 12.2 rebounds, 1.7 assists, with a 66.3 field goal percentage.
