A big Lakers trade target at center may become available this summer
A big Lakers trade target at center may become available this summer
There have been a few centers the Los Angeles Lakers have reportedly been interested in for some time as they have looked to plug the big hole they have had at the 5. One such player is Walker Kessler of the Utah Jazz.
Kessler, who will turn 24 years of age on July 26, may not be the supremely athletic, bouncy center the Lakers ideally want. But he's a force defensively and on the boards, and he's a strong finisher at the rim and a lob threat, which checks several other boxes on the list of abilities they need in a big man.
He averaged 11.1 points, 12.2 rebounds and 2.4 blocks a game while shooting 66.3% from the field this season. Since he only has three years of NBA experience, there is every chance he continues to improve, especially offensively, as time goes on.
The Jazz, according to at least one report, weren't willing to trade Kessler prior to this year's trade deadline. But according to NBA reporter Sarah Todd, they will be willing to listen to offers for him and other key players such as former All-Star Lauri Markkanen this summer.
Via Deseret News:
"Numerous league sources have indicated that they believe the Jazz are going to be active over the next several weeks," wrote Sarah Todd. "Many expect that the Jazz are willing to hear offers that would include draft picks in the 2025 draft as well as players on the Jazz's current roster.
"Obvious candidates for trade would be John Collins, Collin Sexton and Jordan Clarkson, who are all on expiring deals as of the 2025-26 season, but league sources have said that they expect for conversations to include Walker Kessler (who is extension eligible) and Lauri Markkanen."
Kessler will make a shade under $5 million next season, so acquiring him may not cost Los Angeles a lot in the way of players. However, one would have to expect the Jazz to ask for significant draft compensation, which means a third team may need to get involved.
It is also worth mentioning that the chief executive officer of the Jazz is Danny Ainge, the former Boston Celtics guard who played in three NBA Finals against the Lakers in the mid-1980s. Although Ainge participated in February's Luka Doncic trade by bringing in Utah as a third team, it is not easy to imagine him doing his old rivals a solid by sending them Kessler at a fair price.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
24 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Pacers land Cedric Coward in NBA mock draft
Pacers land Cedric Coward in NBA mock draft originally appeared on Athlon Sports. The Indiana Pacers are three wins away from an NBA Championship. A team headlined by Tyrese Haliburton and Pascal Siakam has been successful thanks to the depth of the team, not their superstars. Advertisement Depth can be costly, though. The Pacers are paying $169 million in salary this season, and are already committed to $167.9 million for next year, and that's before a potential extension of Myles Turner. The Pacers have done a great job at drafting NBA-ready players to keep bench costs relatively low, and one prospect stands out as a draft riser who could continue to contribute. Tankathon's NBA Mock Draft has the Pacers landing Washington State wing Cedric Coward with the No. 23 overall pick. Coward started the draft process ranked outside of the first round, but has been a quick draft riser over the past few months. Coward began his collegiate career at Division III Willamette University, averaging 19.4 points and 12.0 rebounds per game. Coward then transferred to Eastern Washington. In his first season with the Eagles, Coward came off the bench and played a key role, averaging 7.3 points and 5.6 rebounds per game. In his second season with Eastern Washington, he earned All-Big Sky honors, averaging 15.4 points and 6.7 rebounds per game. Coward then transferred to Washington State, where he played just six games this past season due to a torn labrum, which required surgery. Coward looked stellar in his short sample with the Cougars, averaging 17.7 points, 7.0 rebounds, and 3.7 assists per game. Advertisement One of the most coveted archetypes in the modern NBA is the "3-and-D" player. Coward fits that mold to a T. Coward has a beautifully smooth shooting stroke, and he has touch from all over the floor. He shows comfort shooting off the catch, on the move, and as a pull-up shooter. In his three seasons of Division I basketball, Coward knocked down 38.8 percent of his three-point attempts and 83.2 percent of his free throws. Physically, Coward's size is an NBA dream. Listed at 6-foot-6, Coward has a 7-foot-2 wingspan and an 8-foot-10 standing reach. Cedric had among the top ten largest hands at the NBA combine. Coward possesses the arms of a much larger man, and it makes him very effective as a defender. Coward is a defensive playmaker, with a career steal percentage of 1.9 percent and a block rate of 3.7 percent in Division I. In his six-game season with Washington State, Coward averaged 1.7 blocks per game, with a block rate of 5.3 percent. Advertisement He's not a lead guard by any means. He has some ability with the ball in his hands, but he doesn't have elite burst and struggles to create separation against high-level defenses or aggressive help schemes. As a connector, though, Coward thrives. Playing within the flow of the offense is the name of the game for Coward. He runs well in transition, and that's truly where his playmaking ability shines. He has impeccable vision and timing as a playmaker on the fast break, which would work wonders for Rick Carlisle's Pacers team. Coward is a dream roleplayer. He brings an unselfish, team-first mindset paired with ancillary skills, great instincts, and insane genetics. Coward can step right in and make an impact, especially on a team like the Pacers that has had so much success with plug-and-play contributors. For the Pacers specifically, he brings more size and length on the wing than Aaron Nesmith, Ben Sheppard, and Andrew Nembhard do. His shot will have no problem translating to the NBA, and he can shoot well with volume. Haliburton and Siakam should generate plenty of open looks for Coward. Advertisement There's also a world, given his wingspan, that allows him to play bigger than he is, that Carlisle could deploy Coward as a four or perhaps even a small-ball five in a super-spread offense. Related: Myles Turner Reveals How Indiana Pacers Failed to Play Their Own Game Against OKC Thunder Related: Indiana Pacers Get Massive NBA Free Agency Update This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jun 10, 2025, where it first appeared.
Yahoo
24 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Mike Braun sends message to Pacers
Mike Braun sends message to Pacers originally appeared on Athlon Sports. After the Indiana Pacers clinched their second NBA Finals berth in franchise history, head coach Rick Carlisle told the hometown fans and national TV audience what they already knew: "In 49 states it's just basketball, but this is Indiana." Advertisement Between the movie Hoosiers, Damon Bailey packing high school gyms, Larry Bird's run at Indiana State, and Bobby Knight putting Indiana University on the map, Indiana is the national hub of all things hoops, and with the Pacers and Fever's recent success, it has only added fuel to the fire. Governor Mike Braun, who played high school basketball at Jasper High School before attending Harvard in Boston, is a diehard Pacers fan with a soft spot for Larry Bird. He recently declared the Pacers a "team of destiny." "Basketball to Hoosiers, it's 49 other states, and then there's Indiana," the governor told Fox. "It means a lot, because the Pacers have been always competitive, but never been quite in that position to win it. And this isn't one with authority other than they now have become a team of destiny, it seems almost." Advertisement Braun was 19 years old when the Pacers won their last title, defeating the Kentucky Colonels in the 1974 ABA championship, taking down Hall of Famers Dan Issel and Artis Gilmore in seven games. Braun knows that Indiana, unlike California, New York, Florida, and Texas, is not exactly a destination state. While he and Governor Kevin Stitt of Oklahoma are working to change that, the Finals are doing a lot to draw attention to some overlooked states. "I've always loved it when I was in sports and even as a politician, and there's something about it," he continued. "When it works out, it's even sweeter. So that spotlight's going on Indiana, the same spotlight on Oklahoma, two states that are not in the national limelight. Of course, we are now, and I'm savoring every minute of it." The Pacers will host the Thunder in Game 3 on Wednesday, the first Finals game played in the Hoosier State since 2000. Advertisement Check out the All Pacers homepage for more news, analysis, and must-read articles. Related: Under the Radar Draft Prospect Could be Key Pacers' Playoff Contributor Next Year Related: Indiana Pacers Get Massive NBA Free Agency Update This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jun 10, 2025, where it first appeared.
San Francisco Chronicle
30 minutes ago
- San Francisco Chronicle
San Antonio Spurs star Victor Wembanyama heads to a temple in China for a few days
Victor Wembanyama is in China, and it's not all about vacation. The San Antonio Spurs star is in the midst of what's expected to be a 10-day stay at a Shaolin temple in Zhengzhou, China. The temple is a place that welcomes visitors who wish to study Chan meditation, Shaolin Kung Fu, traditional Chinese medicine and more. The NBA China office confirmed Wembanyama is at the temple, and some Chinese media also confirmed his presence there with the temple itself. 'Concentrate on training!' read part of a social media post on the NBA's Weibo account, which also revealed the plans for a 10-day stay. Then again, the secret was getting out through other social media means anyway. Some photos of Wembanyama with a shaved head — it wasn't shaved when he arrived in China — and wearing a robe similar to the other monks began widely circulating on social media this week. One of the photos showed the 7-foot-4 center sitting on a Chinese style chair in front of multiple Buddha sculptures. There evidently was some sightseeing going on earlier in the trip as well. 'Victor Wembanyama, live from China, on the Great Wall itself, having an amazing time. It's crazy," he said on a video posted to Instagram by the Spurs' account and others. Wembanyama is expected back in the U.S. in the coming weeks and will likely be with the Spurs' delegation that goes to the NBA Summer League in Las Vegas next month. The Spurs, like many teams, often have many players on their NBA roster with the summer league team for various events. The 21-year-old Frenchman led the NBA in blocked shots during the regular season, despite his season ending in February — just after his first All-Star Game appearance — because of deep vein thrombosis in his right shoulder. The Spurs are hopeful that he will be able to play when next season begins and the French national team has also expressed hope that Wembanyama will be able to play for his country at this summer's European championships. Wembanyama was the league's rookie of the year last season and was widely expected to be a front-runner in this season's defensive player of the year race. He attempted 403 3-pointers and blocked 176 shots this season — no player in NBA history has ever finished a season with those numbers — and he was averaging 24.3 points, 11 rebounds, 3.8 blocks and 3.7 assists when the DVT was detected. The only other player in NBA history to finish a season averaging all those numbers was Kareem Abdul-Jabbar in 1975-76. ___
