Lakers Are Better Without LeBron After Landing Walker Kessler
The Los Angeles Lakers make a franchise-changing move by acquiring Walker Kessler from the Utah Jazz, and it is absolutely worth the price they pay. According to reports, the Lakers send the Jazz unprotected first-round picks in 2031 and 2033 along with first-round pick swaps in 2028 and 2030, while signing Kessler to a four-year, $130 million deal.
Kessler is the exact type of center this roster has been missing. His elite rim protection, rebounding, and ability to finish around the basket make him a perfect fit alongside Luka Dončić and Austin Reaves. Luka is one of the NBA’s best pick-and-roll playmakers, and Kessler’s ability to catch lobs, set crushing screens, and control the paint should unlock another level of the Lakers’ offense. Defensively, he gives Los Angeles a true anchor who can erase mistakes and protect the rim at an elite level.
The scary part is that Kessler’s offensive game still has room to grow. He has already become one of the league’s most efficient finishers, but there is untapped potential in his overall skillset. Playing with creators like Dončić and Reaves should allow him to expand his game while making life easier for everyone around him.
Just as important, this move signals the Lakers are fully committed to building around Luka and Reaves instead of trying to squeeze one more run out of the LeBron James era. The roster is younger, more balanced, and built with a clear identity. Kessler fills the team’s biggest weakness, while the offense can now flow more naturally through Luka with Reaves as his running mate.
The draft capital is significant, but proven young centers with Kessler’s impact rarely become available. The Lakers pay a premium to solve their biggest need, and the result is a roster that is better constructed for both the present and the future. With Walker Kessler in the middle and the offense centered around Luka Dončić and Austin Reaves, the Lakers are simply a better basketball team than they were with LeBron James.
