​The Los Angeles Lakers’ aggressive offseason retooling isn’t finished, but early signs of trouble are already appearing. The Luka Doncic-Austin Reaves duo has just added an elite rim protector in Walker Kessler, yet NBA analysts are already debating whether the team’s deeper weaknesses will undermine their new defensive centerpiece. After a blockbuster $130 million sign-and-trade to bring the 7’2” center from the Utah Jazz to L.A., expectations have skyrocketed. Yet Tim MacMahon is sounding a blunt caution. While appearing on ESPN LA’s Sedano and Kap show, the veteran NBA insider argued that if the Lakers don’t address Doncic and Reaves’ flaws, they will place an unsustainable load on the 24-year-old big man.
“The Lakers were a poor perimeter defensive team, and they’ve gotten worse in that department, or at least in that specific area. My point is, they’re piling on the pressure because Walker Kessler has the weight of the world on his shoulders defensively—there will be blowbys after blowbys,” MacMahon said. Sedano and MacMahon both contend that the Lakers’ effectiveness hinges on Doncic and Reaves, who have notable holes at the perimeter. Sedano warned that unless the two stars elevate their defensive play, Kessler could find himself in foul trouble frequently.
MacMahon stressed that while Kessler’s shot-blocking instincts are historically elite, the sheer number of perimeter breakdowns will put him in impossible positions. “He very well might lead the league in blocks, in a league where Victor Wembanyama exists, because there will be so many attacks on the rim. And to your point, there are concerns about foul trouble. He is an outstanding shot blocker. The challenge for Walker Kessler is to become an outstanding defensive anchor. There’s a difference.”
MacMahon also dispelled a common misconception about Rob Pelinka’s hefty free-agent haul. The Lakers aren’t acquiring an instant defensive savior in Kessler. “He’s not a Rudy Gobert-type anchor at this stage. He’s only 24,” MacMahon noted, recalling that Gobert thrived in Utah even when surrounded by mixed-quality defenders, sustaining top-tier team defense. Kessler isn’t at that level yet, and the Lakers will need him to continue improving because their defensive plan appears to rely on him delivering a bailout.
That immense tactical pressure on Kessler is inseparable from the eye-popping price the Lakers paid to land him. Pelinka surrendered two unprotected future first-round picks (2031 and 2033), plus two first-round pick swap rights (2028 and 2030), to sign the restricted free agent to a four-year, $130 million deal. Some observers believe the GM overspent to satisfy Doncic’s explicit demand for a premier rim-running anchor, all in the name of credible SEO. The result is a high-stakes bet that Kessler will grow into a true defensive linchpin while the Lakers guard two of the league’s more vulnerable perimeter players. If Doncic and Reaves can elevate their defense and Kessler can mature into a dependable anchor, L.A. could still justify the investment. If not, questions about the balance between star-driven offense and structural defensive weaknesses will intensify as the season unfolds.