With the 2024-25 NBA season underway, the Los Angeles Lakers are reportedly interested in making a trade for an upgrade at center. One of the names that’s been linked to the Lakers via trade is Utah Jazz big man Walker Kessler.

But for the Lakers to acquire Walker Kessler through a trade, it would likely cost significant draft assets as per ClutchPoints’ Lakers insider Anthony Irwin.

For that reason, it’s likely the Lakers won’t make a major trade until closer to the trade deadline. Anything they do leading up to that would be a smaller scale move.

The last time the Lakers make a big move at the NBA Trade Deadline was during the 2022-23 season. They shipped out Russell Westbrook and Patrick Beverley and brought in D’Angelo Russell, Malik Beasley, Jarred Vanderbilt and Rui Hachimura. The moves powered the Lakers to a Western Conference Finals run.

They didn’t make any trades leading up to the deadline last season, opting to sign Spencer Dinwiddie off the waiver wire as their big midseason move.

Laker searching for answer at center

Should the Lakers acquire a center at some point this season, it would allow Anthony Davis to play more power forward. They could use additional help in the frontcourt with both Christian Wood and Jarred Vanderbilt sidelined due to injury.

But during the Lakers’ 3-0 start to the regular season, they’ve had success with Jaxson Hayes off the bench. He’s even seen playing time alongside Davis. Hayes has played well, playing more of his natural role of being a rim-running big who is active around the basket.

Through the team’s first three games, Hayes is averaging 6.7 points, 4.0 rebounds, 1.7 assists and 0.7 blocked shots with splits of 90 percent shooting from the field and 100 percent shooting from the free-throw line.

Obviously his shooting percentages are a small sample size, but what stands out is the type of shots he’s getting.

Following the Lakers’ win against the Sacramento Kings on Saturday, D’Angelo Russell talked about the impact that Hayes has had in the lineup and the advantages his presence has given the team.

“It’s just a different dynamic. I think Jaxson kind of makes it happen,” Russell said. “He’s setting screens and rolling in that live threat to where teams have to pull in. And you have spacing on the backside and going over. It’s a tough cover.”

But even with Hayes’ improved play this season, the Lakers will probably keep kicking the tires on a potential trade for a center leading up to the deadline.