When sifting through my notes on the Los Angeles Lakers through the 2025-26 season, there wasn’t a more common occurrence than me complaining about their center rotation. Between Deandre Ayton and Jaxson Hayes, there were countless missed rebounds, a lack of rim protection, and a ton of frustration.
Thankfully for Lakers fans, unreliability at the center spot isn’t an issue anymore. Instead, their in-city rivals, the Los Angeles Clippers, have inherited it.Â
Lakers solved their biggest weakness by adding Walker Kessler
Rob Pelinka made it a priority this offseason to go out and get his superstar, Luka Doncic, a center who is well beyond serviceable. While they did pay a pretty penny to bring in Walker Kessler, it was a necessary move and one that may help undo all the wrong the center position produced last season.
With Kessler, the Lakers are getting a player with bona fide top-10 center potential in the league and a strong path toward an All-Defensive Team bid on a yearly basis.
It wasn’t long ago that, prior to Victor Wembanyama joining the league, fans were talking about Kessler as the league's next great rim protector. LA presents him an opportunity to regain that status.
For the Clippers, it’s quite the opposite at the five with a mixed bag of centers. Ty Lue will likely split reps between an aging Brook Lopez, a young and talented Yanic Konan-Niderhauser, and a likely career third-stringer in Isaiah Jackson.
Lakers never stop outdoing the Clippers
For Lakers fans, landing a true starting center was already enough of a win, seeing how it’s something they’ve never seen Luka have since he donned the purple and gold. What makes this move even sweeter is that while the Lakers are solving that problem, the Clippers are still showing no signs of recovering from the hole left by trading Ivica Zubac.
Sure, the Clippers could potentially hurt the Lakers right back if Peyton Watson ends up joining LA’s little brother. However, I bet all Lakers fans would much rather have a legit center than another wing and a weak center rotation.
I’m not trying to be a Clippers hater at all. I love the future they’re building, with Keaton Wagler being one of my favorite prospects from the 2026 class. I really do see a high ceiling with Niederhauser, too.
The difference is that the Clippers are trying to compete next season rather than go into a full-scale rebuild. So, I’m not going to give them leeway with their roster.
For the Lakers and their fans, getting to see a team four times next year that has 38-year-old Lopez penciled in as their starting five-man is a treat. The Clippers were once known as ‘Lob-City’, but I’m pretty sure anytime these two teams meet next season, that’s what Lakers fans will be calling the Luka and Kessler connection.
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