Sam Amick of The Athletic recently reported that restricted free agent Walker Kessler is "at odds" with the Utah Jazz and is "strongly considering the prospect of a basketball future outside Utah." On the surface, that's great news for the Los Angeles Lakers and their need for a center. Beneath the surface, however, the Lakers will struggle to come up with the necessary compensation for a potential sign-and-trade.
Thankfully, the Minnesota Timberwolves just gave a crash course in how to trade for a high-profile player without mortgaging the future when they acquired LaMelo Ball in a deal that centered around pick swaps.
Ball, 24, was traded from the Charlotte Hornets to the Timberwolves during the early hours of June 25. Former Sixth Man of the Year Naz Reid was the centerpiece of the deal from a talent perspective, but it was what else was attached that should catch the Lakers' eye.
Minnesota gave up just one first-round draft pick for the 24-year-old All-Star, with three second-round picks and three first-round pick swaps taking the deal over the finish line.
As the Lakers aspire to learn from how devaluing the NBA Draft has cost them dearly, the Timberwolves' emphasis of pick swaps over outright pick losses should spark an idea.
Timberwolves prioritized pick swaps in outgoing LaMelo Ball package
Los Angeles has first-round draft picks in 2028, 2030, 2031, and 2032. It doesn't have a single second-round pick until 2032. That certainly complicates the matter of trading the type of picks that Minnesota just gave up.
Knowing how stringent the Jazz have been in trade negotiations, however, the Lakers will need to find a mutually beneficial approach if a sign-and-trade ultimately materializes.
Cameron Carr, the Lakers' first-round pick in 2026, represents an opportunity to learn from past mistakes. Los Angeles traded its first-round selections in every NBA Draft between 2019 and 2022, gave up on 2023 selection Jalen Hood-Schifino within two seasons, and traded their first-round picks in 2025 and 2027.
In fact, no Lakers first-round draft pick has played a single game beyond their four-year rookie-scale contract since Andrew Bynum in 2009-10.
Lakers must protect their draft assets after years of neglect
For perspective: The Lakers have advanced past the first round of the playoffs in just five of the 16 seasons since the 2009-10 campaign concluded. It's not necessarily a direct result of how they've disregarded the NBA Draft, but it's certainly played a factor.
With this in mind, the Lakers need to produce an offer for Kessler that doesn't send them right back to where they started. Thankfully, the Ball trade provided the blueprint.
If the Lakers can sell the Jazz on pick swaps, then they can still have a first-round selection when those assets convey. They also have the luxury of rationale, as Ball has played far more games and accomplished significantly more than Kessler at this point in time.
Utah is a tough negotiator that previously asked for multiple first-round draft picks for Kessler, but if Los Angeles can utilize pick swaps instead, it could be worth it.
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