Lakers Showing Interest in Center Early On In Trade Rumors

Ricardo Sandoval | Oct 27, 2024

Feb 14, 2024; Salt Lake City, Utah, USA; Utah Jazz center Walker Kessler (24) blocks the shot of Los Angeles Lakers forward Anthony Davis (3) during the first quarter at Delta Center. Mandatory Credit: Chris Nicoll-Imagn Images / Chris Nicoll-Imagn Images

Although the Los Angeles Lakers are 3-0 to start the season and are thus far behind people's expectations, that doesn't mean they are settled, not even by the slightest.

The Lakers are always looking to improve one way or another, and their best route as of now is via trade. The Lakers will be involved in the trade market like they are every year, and through three games of the season, they already have their eye on a defensive-minded center from the Utah Jazz, Walker Kessler. 

According to Jovan Buha of The Athletic, the Lakers are interested in possibly trading for Kessler during the campaign. 

"I think we need more time to see which guys become available," Buha said (49:25). "I think Walker Kessler is a name that the Lakers have been interested in that would make a lot of sense and would allow you to either start a two-big look or probably more realistically bring him off the bench."

Kessler is in his third year in the NBA, all with the Jazz, and is coming off a season where he averaged 8.1 points, 7.5 rebounds, and 2.4 blocks in 64 games.

It's clear that one of the Lakers' weaknesses is their frontcourt depth, and Kessler would immediately solve a ton of problems for L.A. Besides superstar Anthony Davis, they would be one of the more dominant defensive presences in the league. 

He's switched between starter and reserve in his career. This season, he has started and played two games for the Jazz, averaging 9.0 points, 11.5 rebounds, 1.5 assists, and 3.0 blocks while shooting 87 percent from the field and 80 percent from the free-throw line in 25 minutes per game. 

The Jazz is likely to fight for the No. 1 pick in the 2025 NBA draft, and trading away a player like Kessler would be a start in securing that pick. 

The Lakers have expressed interest in Kessler in the past, and it's clear that despite the nice start, L.A. needs to upgrade its roster one way or another. Still, if they continue their winning ways, we may not see L.A. desperate to make a move anytime soon until the February trade deadline. 

That's a long way from now, and we'll see if the Lakers continue to be the surprise team of the season thus far. 

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