The Los Angeles Lakers are one of the most captivating case studies in the NBA today. They're a team with two All-NBA players fresh off of playing starring roles on the 2024 Olympic gold medalists, yet they're widely regarded as pretenders in the championship picture.
Only time will tell if the Lakers are better than advertised, but the opportunity to improve the roster should be weighed regardless of how good the team actually is.
Los Angeles has been linked with an abundance of teams and players in trade rumors throughout the 2024 offseason. Each has held some degree of merit as far as maximizing the remaining championship window of the Anthony Davis and LeBron James pairing is concerned.
The option that seems to represent the Lakers' best opportunity to contend again, however, may not be what it seems.
One of the Lakers' primary focal points this offseason has been attempting to find a big, bruising center to play alongside Davis. It's a pursuit that's rooted in the five-time All-NBA honoree requesting that Los Angeles improve its depth at the position.
It's also a product of the 2019-20 season, when Davis was surrounded by high-level veterans at center and helped the Lakers win a championship.
Thankfully, the Utah Jazz can help Los Angeles recreate that magic.
Utah Jazz play home to the perfect Lakers trade target: Walker Kessler
The Jazz have the resolution to Los Angeles' woes on their roster: Walker Kessler. Kessler, 23, is widely regarded as one of the most promising defensive bigs in the NBA, standing at 7'0" and 245 pounds with a massive 7'6" wingspan and an impressive motor.
Kessler is also a tremendous offensive rebounder, thus making him a perfect fit for the Lakers on the basis of personal strengths and team weaknesses.
This past season, Kessler averaged 8.1 points, 7.5 rebounds, 2.6 offensive boards, and 2.4 blocks in just 23.3 minutes per game. In terms of how that helps, Los Angeles finished the 2023-24 campaign ranked dead last in offensive rebounding and No. 21 in points allowed in the paint.
As far as the cost of acquiring Kessler is concerned, Ian Begley of SNY reported in July that Utah is looking for a first-round draft pick in a potential deal.
The obvious hurdle in any negotiation for Kessler is that he's currently playing on a rookie-scale contract. As such, matching salaries would likely mean offering an unproven player or an individual whom Utah isn't terribly high on—thus potentially resulting in a second first-rounder needing to be included.
Thankfully, if the trade for Kessler doesn't work out, the Jazz have another player who could help the Lakers improve both in the short-term and for the future: Collin Sexton.
Collin Sexton could be the Lakers' D'Angelo Russell replacement
Jonathan Givony of ESPN reported ahead of the 2024 NBA Draft that the Lakers view Sexton as a potential trade target. It was an interesting report at the time, but as months have passed, the reasons to consider it have actually increased.
D'Angelo Russell opted into his player option for the 2024-25 season, but the Lakers are already shopping him in trade talks—and Sexton could be the perfect replacement.
Replacing Russell means finding a player who can provide similar value to his averages of 18.0 points, 6.3 assists, and 3.0 three-point field goals made per game. Beyond the numbers, it means finding a player who can produce big scoring numbers, shoot well, and create for others.
Sexton checks those boxes, with season averages 18.7 points, 4.9 assists, 2.6 rebounds, 0.8 steals, and 1.6 three-point field goals made on .498/.394/.859 shooting in just 26.6 minutes per game.
If those numbers sound outrageous, it's because they are. They translate to 25.3 points, 6.6 assists, 3.6 rebounds, 1.1 steals, and 2.2 three-point field goals made per 36 minutes. Assuming the injury concerns are in the rearview, he could reach those heights on a per-game basis in the right situation.
The question is: Are the Lakers willing to swing for the fences in the pursuit of a sustainable solution to two glaring issues?