According to Iztok Franko, Luka Dončić “pushed hard” for the Los Angeles Lakers to acquire Walker Kessler from the Utah Jazz.
The Lakers paid a steep price to get Kessler because Dončić wanted to play with an A-list center.
“If Kessler was the franchise center Dončić wanted so badly, and from the people I’ve spoken to, I can confirm he pushed hard for this move, then perhaps that was simply the cost of doing business,” Franko wrote. “If Kessler becomes the long-term defensive anchor the Lakers believe he can be, and this core grows into a perennial contender, two future first-round picks and a pair of swaps may ultimately prove to be a reasonable price to pay.”
The Lakers signed Kessler to a four-year, $130 million contract via a sign-and-trade deal. The Jazz acquired unprotected first-round picks in 2031 and 2033 and first-round swaps in 2028 and 2030 from the Lakers for Kessler, who has a player option for the fourth season of his new contract and a full trade kicker.
Kessler holds career averages of 9.5 points, 9.3 rebounds and 2.4 blocks per game while shooting 68.1% from the field. He’s only 24 years old. The big man is one of the best shot-blockers and lob threats in the NBA.
Along with Kessler, the Lakers signed Quentin Grimes, Sandro Mamukelashvili, Kevon Looney and Collin Sexton in free agency this offseason. Los Angeles also re-signed Austin Reaves, who is a close friend of Dončić.
The Lakers did lose LeBron James, Marcus Smart, Luke Kennard, Rui Hachimura and Deandre Ayton from last season’s team. James is a free agent, Smart signed with the Houston Rockets, Kennard joined the Phoenix Suns, Hachimura went to the Los Angeles Clippers and Ayton was traded to the Washington Wizards for Jaden Hardy.
LAL went 53-29 last season. Dončić led the NBA in points per game and total points in his first full season with the Lakers. However, he missed the 2026 playoffs due to the severe left hamstring injury he suffered on April 2 against the Oklahoma City Thunder.
Dončić averaged 33.5 points, 7.7 rebounds and 8.3 assists per game last season. He’s still searching to win his first NBA championship. The six-time All-Star went to the NBA Finals in 2024 with the Dallas Mavericks, who lost to the Boston Celtics in five games.
A future Hall of Famer, Dončić has career averages of 29.2 points, 8.5 rebounds and 8.2 assists per game in the regular season and 30.9 points, 9.2 rebounds and 7.8 assists per game in the playoffs with the Mavericks and Lakers. He signed a three-year, $160 million extension with LAL last year.
Dončić will make $49.5 million next season. He can become an unrestricted free agent in the summer of 2028 by declining his 2028-29 player option worth $57.4 million.
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