Toughness — it is an element of last season's Los Angeles Lakers that was sorely missing in the middle. Deandre Ayton and Jaxson Hayes ranged anywhere from frustrating to surprisingly serviceable. Amid all that, they were never really the guys who brought grit to the center spot.
This was something former Lakers champion Horace Grant highlighted in his exclusive interview with Kyle Odegard for Action Network. The four-time All-Defensive player and four-time champion praised the addition of Kessler mightily when it comes to the basketball fit in Los Angeles.
"No disrespect to Ayton and the rest of those guys, but I think they were missing that toughness in the middle. The rim protector. He can score, block shots, rebound. That toughness. I watched him in Utah and I enjoyed what I saw.”
Grant nailed it right on the money. The way Kessler will be able to deliver toughness through his scoring, shot-blocking, and rebounding should provide a massive boost to the on-court product in Los Angeles. The Lakers paid handsomely to land him, but the price of entry was a must.
Walker Kessler will deliver what last season's Lakers were missing at center
Ayton was a mystery through and through during the 2025-26 campaign. You never really knew what you were going to get on a nightly basis. That made him unreliable as a long-term starter in Los Angeles.
Hayes was more effective in terms of consistent energy levels by comparison to Ayton. However, the best impact of the backup center came as a lob threat and play finisher for the Lakers. Rebounding and defending the rim were not major strengths for the former lottery pick.
Kessler gives the Lakers everything they are looking for.
The scoring department is the area in which most will want to see a step forward from the new Lakers center. That can be readily expected with Luka Doncic setting the table for him. Kessler has never gotten the benefit of sharing the court with a playmaker of Doncic's level.
The other two areas in question here leave very little room for interpretation. Kessler is both an excellent rim protector and a potent rebounder, both on the offensive and defensive glass.
There were countless times last season when one could not help but wonder just how much better the Lakers would have looked with a center who can do the things that Walker can. 2026-27 will take that thought from a hypothetical to a highly-anticipated reality.
Add us as a preferred source on Google