The Los Angeles Lakers’ hopes of landing Walker Kessler are becoming increasingly realistic. With tension building between Kessler and the Utah Jazz over his next contract, Los Angeles may finally have an opening. What once felt unlikely now feels possible.
Utah’s Financial Crunch Could Create an Opening
Brian Windhorst recently pointed out the financial squeeze Utah could be facing. “Jaren Jackson makes $50 million next year, and Lauri Markkanen is in the 40s. Walker Kessler is a restricted free agent. I don’t know how much the Jazz are going to be able to pay him,” Windhorst said.
Tim MacMahon offered even more clarity. “The Jazz have a number in mind. I think they are comfortable in the $25 million range… Walker Kessler and his reps believe he is worth much, much more than that.” He added that it could turn into “a potentially very tense and extended restricted free agency process.”
That kind of tension is exactly what the Lakers are watching. Los Angeles has been tied to Kessler for a while now because the basketball fit is obvious. The fit is even better at this moment, given the current purple-and-gold roster.
With Luka Doncic now positioned as the franchise cornerstone, the Lakers need a rim protector who can finish lobs and clean up defensively. Kessler checks those boxes. Over his career, he has averaged 9.5 points, 9.3 rebounds, and 2.4 blocks while shooting 68.1 percent from the field. He does not need plays drawn up for him. He changes the game by protecting the rim and finishing efficiently.
The injury history complicates things. Kessler has not played more than 70 games since his rookie season. He appeared in 64 games in year two, 58 last season, and just five this year before a shoulder injury ended his season. That durability concern is real, and it is likely going to play a factor in Utah’s contract stance.
Still, when he is on the floor, the defensive impact is undeniable. The Lakers do not currently have that kind of interior anchor. Deandre Ayton has been inconsistent. Jaxson Hayes has shown flashes and could benefit from building chemistry with Doncic, but he has not fully proven he can be trusted long-term.
The Jazz chose not to extend Kessler earlier this season, setting up restricted free agency this summer. If negotiations become as tense as MacMahon predicts, the Lakers could find themselves in a position to apply pressure with cap flexibility and a defined role next to one of the league’s best playmakers.