Mitchell Robinson looks to have been Plan B for Lakers this offseason

With teams like the Thunder and Spurs possessing dominant frontcourt players, it was clear obtaining a center was a high priority for Los Angeles.

Had it not been Kessler, the Lakers, according to team and league sources, would’ve likely tried to sign free agent center Mitchell Robinson, who left the New York Knicks to sign a three-year, $47.4 million deal with Boston.

While Robinson is a fine player, he is definitely not at Kessler’s level. Last year, Robinson averaged 5.7 points and 8.8 rebounds per game. He’s a solid defender and an efficient scorer, shooting 72.3% from the field last season.

However, Kessler has far better production. During the 2024-25 season, Kessler averaged 11.1 points, 12.2 rebounds and 2.4 blocks per game.

Lakers President of Basketball Operations Rob Pelinka had to have backup plans in place in case the top option wasn’t acquirable. Luckily for them, things worked out.

The Lakers got Kessler, and Robinson ended up signing a three-year $47.4 million deal with the Celtics.

This was an interesting Plan B. Hopefully, Plan A works out even better.