The Los Angeles Lakers are allegedly prioritizing a trade for a center as soon as possible, and a team insider linked them to an interesting option from within the conference.
The Lakers have gotten off to a very impressive start to the 2024-25 NBA season. With the first week in the books, LA owns a 3-0 record. Having scored wins over playoff contenders the Minnesota Timberwolves, Phoenix Suns, and Sacramento Kings.
It is a fantastic early sign for new head coach JJ Redick and the potential of his system. However, since the summer, improving the center spot has been a rumored goal of the franchise. That need to bolster the position was intensified when big man Christian Wood was forced to undergo arthroscopic surgery last month.
In recent weeks they have been linked to several players. However, this weekend The Athletic Los Angeles Lakers insider Jovan Buha pointed to a specific player who is likely high on the team’s trade wish list.
Los Angeles Lakers linked to a Walker Kessler trade in coming months
“I think we need more time to see which guys become available,” Buha said in a new post on his YouTube channel. “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, play two big shifts, and then in certain matchups close with two bigs.”
- Walker Kessler stats (2023-24): 8.1 PPG, 7.5 RPG, 2.4 BPG
Kessler looked like a rising star for the Utah Jazz during his rookie season in 2022-23, as the seven-footer actually shot 33% from three. However, his stats regressed slightly last season and he did not take the steps forward in production the team needed.
Nevertheless, he has strong value around the league and the New York Knicks attempted to trade for him this summer.
But recent reports on the Jazz asking price was “at least two first-round picks.” The NBA trade deadline is in February.
