​The Los Angeles Lakers entered this offseason with a clear goal: upgrade the center position, especially on the defensive end. Even with Anthony Davis on the roster, the team lacked a true defensive pillar at the center spot, aside from the 2019-20 season when JaVale McGee and Dwight Howard formed a temporary tag team. Now, that void appears to be filled. Last week, the Lakers agreed to a sign-and-trade for Walker Kessler, a towering 7-foot-2 center who spent his first four NBA seasons with the Utah Jazz. On Wednesday, the deal became official. Los Angeles sent two future first-round picks and two pick swaps and signed Kessler to a four-year, $130 million contract, with the fourth year as a player option.
“At the core of every great Lakers team is a dominant big man,” Lakers president of basketball operations and general manager Rob Pelinka said. “At just 24 years old, Walker Kessler has established himself as one of the elite two-way centers in the game. When the opportunity presented itself to pair a rim-protecting, lob-catching big with our two premier pick-and-roll guards, Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves, we seized it. Walker will embody the core pillars we value in our players: high character, high basketball IQ and elite competitiveness as we enter the next era of Lakers basketball. It’s an incredibly proud moment to add someone with Walker’s unique skill set and makeup to our program.”
Kessler might not rank with the all-time great Lakers centers like Davis, Pau Gasol, Shaquille O’Neal, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Wilt Chamberlain, or George Mikan, but across NBA history, a true shot-blocking defensive anchor at the center position has always been valuable, and the Lakers will now have one in Kessler. The 24-year-old is listed at 7-foot-2 and 245 pounds, carrying career averages of 9.5 points, 9.3 rebounds and 2.4 blocks in 25.3 minutes per game. Some observers believe the Lakers sacrificed too much to obtain him and question the size of the contract, but there is potential for Kessler to expand his offensive repertoire, particularly if he can develop a three-point shot. He demonstrated early signs of perimeter shooting improvement over the past season.
Reports indicate that Doncic was pushing for the Lakers to secure an A-list center this summer, and LA has delivered on that front. He is reportedly excited about the moves the team has already made. In addition to the Kessler acquisition, the Lakers reached free-agent deals with guards Quentin Grimes and Collin Sexton, as well as big man Sandro Mamukelashvili. They also secured veteran big man and three-time NBA champion Kevon Looney, who is set to back up Kessler. The franchise is also reportedly pursuing forward Jonathan Kuminga to address what remains one of their last real needs: a starting two-way forward.
This article originally appeared on LeBron Wire and notes that Walker Kessler is now officially a member of the Lakers.