Securing a top-notch big man was one of the Lakers’ biggest priorities entering the offseason — and the Lakers achieved that goal, agreeing to terms on a trade with the Jazz for restricted free agent centre Walker Kessler.
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Los Angeles, fresh from farewelling LeBron James, will receive Kessler from the Jazz for unprotected first-round picks in 2031 and 2033 and first-round swaps in 2028 and 2030. Kessler will then sign a 4-year, $130 million contract with Los Angeles.
Kessler, along with Pistons star big man Jalen Duren, who’s also a restricted free agent, were among the Lakers’ top targets this off-season to pair alongside superstar guard Luka Doncic and star guard Austin Reaves.
And because they agreed on the trade instead of dealing with an offer sheet, the Lakers have secured their big man of the present and future, signing the ideal centre who fits the archetype of centres Doncic thrives alongside.
Yet the move drew a blast of criticism from outspoken US sports pundit Stephen A. Smith — who directly took aim at the Lakers having an all-white ‘big three’.
“Where the hell the Los Angeles Lakers think they’re going with a bunch of white dudes,” Smith said on his show.
“Your top three players are white dudes. Really?! This ain’t golf; this ain’t baseball. It ain’t even soccer.
“In NBA history, when have you seen your three most prominent players on a basketball team all be white and that takes you to the promised land? Somebody gotta say it, so I’m saying it.”
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The Lakers were involved in a flurry of moves worth $261 million ($380 million AUD) after confirmation that James would not return. They have also acquired:
— Free agent big man Sandro Mamukelashvili on a four-year, $52 million contract. The 6’9” Mamukelashvili is coming off of a career-year with the Raptors. His scoring average (11.2 points), field goal percentage (52.3%), steals average (.8) and blocks average (.5) with Toronto in 2025-26 were all career-best marks.
— Former 76ers guard Quentin Grimes, who was an unrestricted free agent after one-and-a-half seasons in Philadelphia, on a four-year, $60 million contract. Grimes, 26, played with Lakers star guard Luka Dončić for a brief period to start the 2024-25 season in Dallas after being traded from the Detroit Pistons to the Dallas Mavericks during the 2024 off-season. The 6-foot-4 guard out of Houston has averaged 11.1 points, 3.2 rebounds and 2.3 assists during his NBA career.
— Veteran guard Collin Sexton on a two-year, $19 million deal. Sexton, the No. 8 pick in the 2018 draft, is coming off of averaging 15.4 points and 3.3 assists in 68 regular season games (22 starts) for the Hornets and Bulls in 2025-26.
— Meanwhile, back-up Lakers big man Jaxson Hayes is heading to the Jazz on a two-year deal. ESPN first reported that Hayes is signing for $12 million across the two years, with a team option on the second season.
Sandro Mamukelashvili has joined the Lakers.Source: AFP
LUKA’S PERFECT BIG MAN
Kessler has averaged 9.5 points, 9.3 rebounds and 2.4 blocks in 25.3 minutes across 201 regular season games since the Jazz drafted him with the No. 22 pick in the 2022 draft.
He’s been one of the NBA’s best rim protectors since entering the league out of Auburn.
Kessler ranked in the top-seven of defensive field goal percentage difference allowed within six feet of the rim in each of his first three seasons, including No. 3 as a rookie and No. 3 as a second-year player.
In addition to averaging a double-double (11.1 points and 12.2 rebounds to go with 2.4 blocks) in his first season as a full-time starter in 2024-25, Kessler led the league in offensive rebounds (4.6) in his third season.
Kessler averaged 14.4 points, 10.8 rebounds (4.6 offensive rebounds), 3 assists and 1.8 blocks across five games (30.8 minutes per game) during 2025-26 before suffering a season-ending torn posterior labrum in his left shoulder that required surgery.
Ben Simmons is guarded by new Lakers signing Walker Kessler in 2024.Source: AFP
Before his injury, Kessler further experimented with expanding his shooting range with a higher frequency, attempting 1.6 3-pointers per game compared to 0.3 3s per game in his first three seasons. He made 6 of those 8 attempted 3s last season after making 6 of 34 in 2024-25, 4 of 19 in 2023-24 and 1 of 3 in 2022-23.
Now fully recovered from surgery, Kessler looks to be an ideal fit next Doncic as a rim-running centre who’s one of the best defenders in the league. Doncic has always been at his best when he’s had that archetype at centre — he led Dallas to the NBA Finals in 2024 when he had Daniel Gafford and Dereck Lively II.
He’s a great pick-and-roll complement with Doncic, but Kessler must continue to grow his offensive game to warrant that type of financial return.