The Los Angeles Lakers overhauled the majority of their roster this summer. That will inevitably bring growing pains as the team learns to mesh with one another during training camp, preseason, and the early parts of the 2026-27 regular season. Thankfully for them, at least Collin Sexton and Walker Kessler walk through those doors having built-in chemistry with each other.
Sexton and Kessler spent three years together on the Utah Jazz before the former moved on to the Charlotte Hornets. That relationship did not fade upon Collin's exit from Utah. The new Lakers guard was more than happy to remind everyone of its existence when speaking to the media at Las Vegas.
"Me and Walker, we have built a really good relationship over the past four or five years. Even just like when he was in school, he's from Atlanta as well. Our connection on the court is pretty cool. ... When we were doing three-on-three, we still locked in."
Kessler and Sexton were two of the primary dominos to drop that kickstarted the Lakers offseason overhaul. Both of them will have importance to the roster that goes beyond their two-man game. However, that connection should play a big part of the new squad molding together.
Collin Sexton and Walker Kessler should provide an immediate spark for the Lakers
Sexton undoubtedly projects to be the first guard off the bench for the Lakers next season. Losing LeBron James meant Los Angeles needed additional ball handlers around Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves. The former Jazz guard was a big part of that.
The Lakers' second unit has been bad, in terms of scoring production, for quite some time. 2025-26 was yet another example of that. Los Angeles ranked 29th in the NBA, getting only 29.3 points per game from their reserves.
Sexton has been a consistent double-digit scorer throughout his entire career and will be looking to bolster that persistent weakness. On top of his own buckets helping to balance out the overall scoring production, being yet another guard who can feed Kessler will be just as important.
Doncic and Reaves will have plenty of opportunities to create for their new center, but it cannot just be them. That is why Sexton's connection and ability to keep that momentum going when those guys need rest will matter.
Granted, the former Cleveland Cavaliers lottery pick is not the most willing passer that one will come across at the guard position. Sexton averages just 3.6 assists per game over his career.
However, there is proven production with Kessler, specifically. In their last season together on the Jazz during 2024-25, Sexton hooked up his big man with 46 assists. That just barely trailed Lauri Markkanen (50 assists) for the most assists he had for any of his teammates.
Sexton has hooked Kessler up with 92 total assists during their three seasons together in Utah. The Lakers will hope to see plenty more of those for some easy offense in Los Angeles next season.
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