Lakers Must Not Mortgage Future of Franchise Amid Walker Kessler, NBA Trade Rumors

The Los Angeles Lakers continue to be tied to the Utah Jazz and center Walker Kessler, but make not have the necessary pieces to make a trade happen.

The Athletic's Sam Amick reported, via a Jazz source, that Los Angeles' proposed package of D'Angelo Russell and multiple first-round picks, "would not be of interest."

The report does suggest that there are other Lakers iterations that could get the deal done, with Amick reporting that almost any deal the team looks to complete with have to include guard Austin Reaves.

That would be too much, especially considering how popular Reaves is within management and his new head coach, JJ Redick. He has also developed into the third scoring option on the team and trading him would be a massive loss, especially for a mostly unproven entity in Kessler.

The Jazz's backup center is a big guy with raw talent and the potential to be a game-changer at the five position. In no way, though, should the Lakers mortgage the future, nor the here and now, for a player who has yet prove he can be an everyday starter.

Kessler's field goal percentage has steadily declined in his three seasons, despite his minutes going up.

His total rebounds are appealing, at 11.2 thus far in the 2024-25 season, and he is averaging the most blocks of his young career with three per game, but he still has yet to average more than 10 points a game.

The uncertainty surrounding his ability to be that consistent starter, and questions about what a trade for him would do to a lineup that currently sits at 4-2, not to mention what the Lakers would have to give up to acquire Kessler, make it a deal that the team should no longer pursue.

The price is too lofty, especially with CEO of basketball operations Danny Ainge looking for a king's ransom in return for any Jazz player with even a modicum of talent.

The Lakers have a habit of wanting to win headlines and bring in stars to bolster their team, oftentimes at the expense of the future or the chemistry the current squad has already developed.

Taking a risk at disrupting either one for a player around whom there are still far too many questions is not worth it and may ultimately do more damage than good.

There are other centers out there, ones who will not force the Lakers to give up tomorrow for today, and the team should absolutely investigate what it would take to bring them on board.

Just leave Kessler, Ainge, and the Jazz be.