The Los Angeles Lakers were able to plug a few glaring holes in their rotation this offseason by acquiring the former No. 1 overall pick in the 2018 NBA Draft Deandre Ayton along with the 2022 Defensive Player of the Year winner Marcus Smart.
While the Lakers' general manager Rob Pelinka succeeded at surrounding the franchise's 26-year-old phenom Luka Dončić with complementary pieces, more work is left to be done throughout the 2025-26 campaign.
In fact, one NBA writer has suggested that the organization may receive another chance at landing a longtime trade target from the Utah Jazz to further strengthen their unit of lob-catching bigs for Dončić to connect with on offense.
"Trading in the NBA is all about leverage," FanSided's Svyatoslav Rovenchuk wrote Friday.
"When it comes to (Walker) Kessler, the Jazz are quickly losing it, while the Lakers have rapidly gained that aspect in these specific negotiations."
"Pelinka can comfortably enter any trade negotiations with the Jazz from a point of strength, not weakness. If the Lakers do truly believe in Kessler as their center of the future, the momentum for them to land their guy has quickly shifted in their favor."
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The Jazz's 24-year-old Walker Kessler has been at the forefront of Lakers-related rumors since this past season's trade deadline, and for good reason.
After the Lakers' league-shattering acquisition of Dončić via trade from the Dallas Mavericks last season, Kessler immediately became one of the franchise's most coveted targets due to his incredible skillset as a screener, lob-catcher and awesome rim-deterrent on the defensive end.
In 2024-25, Kessler contributed 11.1 points, 12.2 rebounds and 2.4 blocks while shooting 66.3% from the field in 58 appearances for the Jazz.
Kessler's core abilities appear to be a perfect match for a play-maker of Dončić's caliber, and Pelinka may even still favor a trade to land the 7-foot center to start in place of Ayton.
That way, the Lakers would boast a trio of solid fits for their generational talent in Kessler, Ayton and ex-New Orleans Pelicans high-flier Jaxson Hayes.
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