![\"Luka](\"https:\/\/heavy.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/GettyImages-2200006055-e1741810817853.jpg?quality=65&strip=all&w=780\")
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It\u2019s no secret that the Los Angeles Lakers\u2018 top priority in the offseason is to look for a starting-caliber center following the failed Mark Williams deal.<\/p>\n
Bleacher Report\u2019s Greg Swartz proposed an offseason trade that could land the Lakers their coveted starting center to pair with Luka Don\u010di\u0107.<\/p>\n
Los Angeles Lakers Receive: Walker Kessler<\/strong><\/p>\n Utah Jazz Receive:\u00a0Dalton Knecht, 2031 first-round pick (unprotected)<\/strong><\/p>\n \u201cKessler, 23, is a massive presence in the middle who\u2019s averaging a double-double (11.5 points, 12.5 rebounds) while swatting 2.3 shots a game and leading the NBA in field goal percentage (72.7 percent),\u201d Swartz wrote. \u201cUtah may not be shopping Kessler, although a future unprotected first and a good prospect in Knecht (14.3 points, 39.3 percent from three as a starter) should at least start a conversation.\u201d<\/p>\n Kessler was on top of the Lakers\u2019 wish list when they still had\u00a0Anthony Davis, who was clamoring for a center to slide him back to his preferred power forward position. The Lakers\u2019 calculus changed when they swapped Davis for Don\u010di\u0107, who prefers to play with a lob threat.<\/p>\n Kessler isn\u2019t as athletic as\u00a0Dereck Lively II\u00a0or\u00a0Daniel Gafford\u00a0but the Jazz center has developed into one of the elite rim protectors in the league, which on paper, perfectly fits the Lakers\u2019 defensive approach.<\/p>\n It\u2019s hard to imagine that the Jazz will accept only a first-round pick plus a young player for Kessler.<\/p>\n Leading to the trade deadline,\u00a0ESPN\u2019s Shams Charania reported\u00a0that the Jazz repeatedly rejected the Lakers as they could not meet their steep asking price for their prized center.<\/p>\n \u201cI think it\u2019s harder to do deals in the NBA than ever before.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n Bob Myers shared his thoughts on the Lakers\u2019 efforts to make moves \ud83e\udde0\u00a0pic.twitter.com\/20vKjdXORa<\/em><\/p>\n \u2014 NBA on ESPN (@ESPNNBA)\u00a0January 26, 2025<\/em><\/p>\n https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js<\/em><\/p><\/blockquote>\n In December, Michael Scotto of Hoopshype reported that the Jazz\u2019s asking price is at least two first-round picks.<\/p>\n \u201cTeams gauging Kessler\u2019s availability in Utah have come away with the sense that it\u2019ll take at least two first-round picks to pry him from the Jazz, a high asking price in their eyes,\u201d Scotto wrote at the time.<\/p>\n Yesterday\u2019s price may not be this summer\u2019s price for Kessler, who is a much better player with no injury history compared to Williams, whom the Lakers initially viewed as worth Knecht, a pick swap and their 2031 first-round pick.<\/p>\n And the Jazz may no longer view the Lakers\u2019 2031 pick as valuable as before, especially if Don\u010di\u0107 signs an extension this summer to remain in Los Angeles.<\/p>\n While the Lakers\u2019 biggest weakness right now is the center position, their biggest challenge in the homestretch of the season is\u00a0LeBron James\u2018 health.<\/p>\n ESPN\u2019s Shams Charania reported on Sunday, March 9, that James is expected to miss at least one to two weeks with a groin strain.<\/p>\n Klutch Sports CEO Rich Paul was non-committal on when his top client can return from his groin injury.<\/p>\n \u201cHe knows his body better than anybody, so we kind of have to follow him there,\u201d\u00a0Paul said on \u201cThe Pat McAfee Show\u201d\u00a0on Tuesday, March 11. \u201cSo I won\u2019t put a timetable on it. I\u2019ll let LeBron decide what was to be done there. He has a great trainer and medical staff with the Lakers, and Mike Nancias (Lakers athletic trainer) leads that for him and so, I\u2019ll just be in a lockstep with those guys.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" It\u2019s no secret that the Los Angeles Lakers\u2018 top priority in the offseason is to look for a starting-caliber center following the failed Mark Williams deal. Bleacher… <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":42492,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[4],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-42488","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-nba"],"yoast_head":"\nUtah\u2019s Steep Asking Price<\/h2>\n
Rich Paul Non-Committal on LeBron James\u2019 Return Timeline<\/h2>\n