The Los Angeles Lakers have spent the offseason reshaping their roster around Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves, and the addition of Walker Kessler was the most significant move in this direction.

Kessler, a 24-year-old, 7-foot-2 center, is heading to Los Angeles after spending his first four NBA seasons with the Utah Jazz. The Lakers acquired the restricted free agent for two unprotected first-round picks and two first-round pick swaps, then moved quickly to secure him on a four-year, $130 million deal. 

It is a steep price, but it also reflects how clearly the Lakers believe he fits beside Doncic and Reaves.

Kessler was drafted 22nd overall in 2022 and has already established himself as one of the league’s better rim protectors. Through four seasons, he has averaged 9.5 points, 9.3 rebounds, and 2.4 blocks while shooting 68.1 percent from the field in 201 games. His best full season came in 2024–25, when he averaged 11.1 points, 12.2 rebounds, and 2.4 blocks on 66.3 percent shooting.

Last season was cut short by a shoulder injury that required surgery, limiting him to just five games. Even then, he averaged 14.4 points, 10.8 rebounds, three assists, 1.4 steals, and 1.8 blocks while shooting 70.3 percent from the field. The sample size was small, but his improvement from the prior season was definitely encouraging and showed that he was still just scratching the surface of his potential.

That upside is the appeal for the Lakers. Kessler already has the profile of a future All-Defense center, with enough room to eventually push toward All-Star consideration if his offense keeps developing. He is a strong offensive rebounder, a reliable finisher around the basket, and an improving three-point shooter. More importantly, he should thrive playing off two elite playmakers in Doncic and Reaves.

Doncic has always been at his best with centers who can screen, roll, finish, and protect the rim behind him. Kessler fits a similar mold to what Daniel Gafford and Dereck Lively provided on the Dallas Mavericks team that Doncic led to the NBA Finals in 2024. He does not need the ball to be effective, but his size and finishing ability should make him a constant target near the rim.

The larger question now is how Los Angeles fills out the rest of their roster. 

Doncic, Reaves, and Kessler will now take up a major portion of the Lakers’ cap space. Reaves just agreed to a four-year, $185 million deal to stay in Los Angeles, and those three players are projected to fill around 75% of their cap space.

That leaves less room for mistakes with regards to personnel decisions, especially with several pieces from last year’s team leaving. LeBron James is gone, while Marcus Smart, Luke Kennard, and Jaxson Hayes have also signed elsewhere. Rui Hachimura remains an unrestricted free agent though he is unlikely to return due to the size of his potential contract.

Beyond Kessler, the Lakers have added Quentin Grimes on a four-year, $60 million deal, Sandro Mamukelashvili on a four-year, $52 million contract, and Collin Sexton on a two-year, $19.2 million deal. Grimes and Mamukelashvili could end up as their fourth and fifth starters.

The Lakers still need to build out their bench, and the cost of acquiring Kessler means this deal will be judged by how quickly he helps them win. Still, the logic behind the move is clear. Doncic now has the dependable center he wanted and for Los Angeles, they now have a defensive anchor whose best basketball should still be ahead of him.

For a team beginning life after the departure of a larger-than-life figure in James, this is an encouraging place to start.