Latest news with #WalkerKessler
Yahoo
15-07-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
3-Team Trade Idea Sends Kessler And Kuminga To Lakers, Warriors Add Hachimura And New Centers
3-Team Trade Idea Sends Kessler And Kuminga To Lakers, Warriors Add Hachimura And New Centers originally appeared on Fadeaway World. We can imagine a three-team blockbuster coming together that could see the Los Angeles Lakers land two of the league's most intriguing young talents, while the Golden State Warriors reload with frontcourt versatility and the Utah Jazz fortify their future draft firepower. Advertisement While specifics will be discussed more below, we suggest that Los Angeles acquire Jonathan Kuminga and Walker Kessler, two budding stars with All-Star upside, alongside the steady Chris Boucher. Meanwhile, Golden State reportedly gains a rugged two-way wing in Rui Hachimura, the stretch-big Maxi Kleber, and Duke draft gem Kyle Filipowski. And Utah? They'd emerge from this deal with Moses Moody, Dalton Knecht, and a pair of prime first-round picks as early as 2028 and 2031. Proposed Trade Details Los Angeles Lakers Receive: Jonathan Kuminga, Walker Kessler, Chris Boucher Golden State Warriors Receive: Rui Hachimura, Kyle Filipowski, Maxi Kleber Utah Jazz Receive: Moses Moody, Dalton Knecht, 2028 first-round pick (GSW), 2031 first-round pick (LAL) At its core, the trade could change basketball in the Western Conference: the Lakers chase athleticism and length, the Warriors shore up spacing and shot creation, and the Jazz double down on youth and assets. But with restricted free agents in the mix and the Jazz notoriously protective of their core, especially Kessler, expect sharp negotiations if this deal were to commence. Advertisement Stay tuned: the talking points about draft capital, salary structure, and fit could fuel heated punditry for weeks. With this proposed trade idea, let's break down how it could play out for each team involved. Los Angeles Lakers Complete A Haul To Win The Western Conference Apr 26, 2025; San Francisco, California, USA; Golden State Warriors forward Jonathan Kuminga (00) dribbles against the Houston Rockets during the first quarter of game three of first round for the 2024 NBA Playoffs at Chase Center. Mandatory Credit: Darren Yamashita-Imagn ImagesCredit: Darren Yamashita-Imagn Images The Lakers, already a powerhouse, would turbocharge their championship odds with the addition of Jonathan Kuminga and Walker Kessler. Kuminga brings a dynamic 15.3 PPG on 45.4% shooting, showcasing growth in the playoffs with four 20-plus point games behind 48.4 FG% and 40% 3PT . His versatility across wing and forward spots fits seamlessly alongside LeBron and Luka, giving L.A. athleticism and scoring punch off the bench. Walker Kessler towers as one of the league's premier rim protectors, averaging 12.2 RPG (5th in NBA) and 2.4 blocks per game, shooting a stunning 66.3% . Advertisement His interior defense would anchor the Lakers, particularly vital come playoff time when paint dominance matters most. And with established spacing threats, Kessler's presence would force opponents into uncomfortable interior matchups. Let's not overlook Chris Boucher (10.0 PPG, 4.5 RPG); his 3-and-D skill set adds veteran depth. He stretches the floor and brings playoff familiarity, an underrated luxury for title contenders. For the Lakers, this trio isn't just a trade; it's a strategic chess move aimed squarely at reclaiming Western Conference supremacy. Golden State Warriors Add Size To Their Frontcourt Los Angeles Lakers forward Rui Hachimura (28) dribbles the ball on Dallas Mavericks guard Max Christie (00) during the first quarter at Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images Golden State addresses its Achilles heel, contested two-man lineups and interior mismatches, by landing Rui Hachimura, Maxi Kleber, and Kyle Filipowski. Hachimura injected toughness last season, averaging 13.1 PPG, 5.0 RPG, with the Lakers, and consistently defended elite wings. He brings rugged mid-post spacing at a position of need. Advertisement Maxi Kleber (while undrafted) provides deadly shooting and size, spacing the floor with 35.4% 3PT for his career at 6'10", and is playoff-tested. Filipowski, though young, averaged 9.6 PPG and 6.1 RPG with Duke efficiency and is poised to make the leap to a stretch big role. His 35% shooting on 1.1 threes made per game hints at a steady rotation piece. This trio reframes the Warriors' frontcourt, melding spacing and toughness with the Curry-Podziemski backcourt. It's a solid rebalance, inside coverage meets outside threat. For Golden State, the long-bellied roster transformation comes just in time to combat rising contenders. Utah Jazz Continue Their Rebuild Apr 1, 2025; Memphis, Tennessee, USA; Golden State Warriors guard Moses Moody (4) shoots for three during the fourth quarter against the Memphis Grizzlies at FedExForum. Mandatory Credit: Petre Thomas-Imagn Images Mandatory Credit: Petre Thomas-Imagn Images Utah leans into youth with the acquisition of Moses Moody, Dalton Knecht, and two hefty first-round selections (2028 from GSW, 2031 from LAL). Moody, at 23, flashed 9.8 PPG flashes last season with elite athleticism and defense upside. Knecht, their draft gem, averaged 9.1 PPG last season (on 37.6% 3-PT FG) and projects as a modern combo guard with backcourt promise. Advertisement Their king move is asset stacking, picking up Utah's already formidable haul of draft currency. The 2028 Warriors pick likely falls in the mid-teens, while the 2031 Lakers pick represents an unprotected golden ticket. That kind of future flexibility fuels rebuild momentum. On-court, they shed wings (Hachimura, Moody swap places) to solidify cap flexibility and timeline clarity. It's a classic tank-to-pay-off blueprint: gather youth, draft dreams, and smart reversibility. The Jazz are resetting, full tilt. A Blockbuster Trade Idea: But Are The Lakers The Biggest Winners? Los Angeles, California, USA; Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James (23) and guard Luka Doncic (77) react after a play during the first quarter against the Minnesota Timberwolves at Arena. Mandatory Credit: Jason Parkhurst-Imagn ImagesMandatory Credit: Jason Parkhurst-Imagn Images In this deal, the Lakers grab flexibility and star power; the Warriors plug frontcourt leaks; the Jazz double down on future riches. But let's ask, are the Lakers truly the big winners? Advertisement Their haul is immediate and top-heavy. Kuminga could blossom into a 20 PPG wing with All-NBA upside, and Kessler might become a defensive anchor, giving MVPs another layer of protection. That's championship-level balance. Yet, Golden State's pivot realigns them with size and spacing, no longer a shooting-heavy, fragile lineup. If they maximize Hachimura's consistency and Kleber/Filipowski thrive, the Warriors could sneak back into contender status. Meanwhile, the Jazz's long game might be the biggest sleeper; they're metamorphosing into true draft land, ready to pounce on future trade or draft opportunities. In short: the Lakers get the splash, Warriors get solidity, Jazz get tomorrow, everyone wins, but let the headlines decide who truly struck gold. The Lakers would become the team to beat in the Western Conference, and it is by a clear margin, with two starting-caliber players joining up with LeBron, Luka, and Austin Reaves. Related: Lakers Eye Defensive Boost in Potential Trade Idea With Trail Blazers This story was originally reported by Fadeaway World on Jul 13, 2025, where it first appeared.
Yahoo
05-07-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Grading Hornets-Jazz trade involving Collin Sexton, Jusuf Nurkic
The post Grading Hornets-Jazz trade involving Collin Sexton, Jusuf Nurkic appeared first on ClutchPoints. The Utah Jazz traded veteran guard Collin Sexton to the Charlotte Hornets on Sunday. The Jazz, who included a second-round pick in the 2030 NBA Draft, received veteran center Jusuf Nurkic in return. Advertisement Both Sexton and Nurkic are entering contract years. Making the money work was easy, with both set to make around $19 million next year. It had been rumored that Sexton would be available in trades this offseason. Utah drafted guards Keyonte George and Brice Sensabaugh in the first round of the 2023 NBA Draft. The next year, they selected guard Isaiah Collier in the first round. On Wednesday, they drafted guard Walter Clayton Jr., the fourth first-round pick they've used on a guard in three drafts. As more of their young talent approaches paydays, more experienced players like Jordan Clarkson and Sexton become natural choices for the 'chopping block.' What type of moves could the Jazz make that involve one or two of these guards and set their core up for success? They opted to send Sexton to the Eastern Conference for a big man. The Jazz only had incoming fourth-year center Walker Kessler and Kyle Filipowski, fresh off his rookie campaign, at center. Both players represent a balance of now and later, already able to impact winning basketball but with room to grow. Nurkic, an 11-year NBA veteran, could help both reach their potential. Advertisement The Hornets drafted 6'7″ guard Kon Knueppel with the fourth pick in Wednesday night's draft. He joined guards LaMelo Ball and recent first-round draft pick Nick Smith Jr. on the roster, making Sexton the fourth under contract next season with 24-year-old guard Tre Mann entering restricted free agency. Was this the best the Hornets could have done to replace him? Was trading Nurkic days after trading Mark Williams the right move? Hornets get smaller, score big in Nurkic-Sexton swap Jeffrey Swinger-Imagn Images A 26-year-old guard, after the second-straight season in which he was excellent on offense, being traded away is a tough sell. Sexton averaged 18.4 points, 2.7 rebounds, and 4.2 assists per game while making 48% of his field goals this past year. He led the Jazz in scoring for the second-straight year. Advertisement Sexton turned the ball over 2.5 times on average. But his 40.6% conversion rate on his 4.3 3-point attempts per game was a career-best. The advanced analytics on Sexton's past two seasons indicate his offensive impact is legitimate. His Estimated Offensive Plus-Minus rating of +1.5 represented greater offensive impact than 87% of NBA players that year. His +3.0 mark in the 2023-24 season was in the 95th percentile of that season's O-EPM ratings, per Dunks and Threes. At face value, parting ways with Nurkic is a tough but potentially necessary sacrifice to acquire a player like Sexton. His high-octane offensive capabilities could both complement Ball's playmaking well and help the team maintain its offense when Ball sits. Receiving a second-round draft selection several years down the road tilts this trade enough in the Hornets' direction to consider it a 'success' for them on-paper. Sexton and Ball may struggle on defense, especially without a defensive anchor of a big supporting them. The Hornets traded both Nurkic and Williams, the two centers they had on their roster, within days of each other. This makes the team's need for a center dire. Nurkic, who just had the highest defensive-rebounding percentage of his career last year, could have been more valuable to the Hornets than other teams. Advertisement Center play, however, has typically been the most easily replaceable position in the modern era. The Hornets bet on the center play they can acquire in free agency, coupled with incoming fourth-year small-ball center Moussa Diabate, being enough for next year. Hornets trade grade: A- Sexton will need a new deal after his opening campaign with Charlotte. Locking in a 27-year-old Sexton for 'the prime years' of his career is worth giving up a steady hand in Nurkic for a team like the Hornets, searching for perennial playoff appearances. Jazz add rebounding, experience via veteran Jusuf Nurkic Troy Wayrynen-Imagn Images Nurkic played 51 games last season between his time with the Hornets and the Phoenix Suns. His 81st percentile Defensive-EPM of +0.8 is indicative of a 'still got it' factor with regard to his ability to anchor a defense. His +2.5 rating on that end of the court from the season before was better than 95% of the NBA last year. Advertisement Availability is beginning to come into question with Nurkic, though. Some were part of the trade process and not representative of his health, but he missed 33 games total last season. He played 76 the year before, a nice figure, which unfortunately stands out as an outlier. Nurkic played just 52 games in 2023 and 56 in 2022. That's after he played a combined 45 in the two years before, 2019-21, because of troubles with leg injuries. When he's on the court, though, his value is clear. He rebounded 31.8% of opposing team's misses when he was on defense, a career-best rate. That was in the 99th percentile among all NBA players in the 2025 season. From 2019 to 2024, Nurkic's O-EPM had been in the 69th percentile or better – except for 2021, a 59th percentile output. Last season, his -1.9 O-EPM rating was in the 31st percentile that year. Especially after trading Sexton, the Jazz don't have a playmaker on the level of Devin Booker, Kevin Durant, or LaMelo Ball yet. Will they be able to scheme an offense that facilitates a bounce back season? Jazz trade grade: C- Head coach Will Hardy prioritizes the optimization of his talent. Will the team's young guards have developed enough to allow the addition of Nurkic to pay dividends? Or will the Bosnian big man's contributions be unfortunately overlooked as the team's offense has a Sexton-sized hole in it? Advertisement Whether or not Nurkic is a key contributor in Utah, it feels like they could have gotten more for Sexton. Was being so set on trading him even the right way to handle his pending free agency? If the team is interested in starting to win some games, the dynamo scoring guard now on the Hornets may have been able to help. Related: 10 worst GMs in NBA history, ranked Related: NBA rumors: Rockets the biggest threat to steal away key Lakers free agent
Yahoo
04-07-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Warriors predicted to land All-Rookie rim-protecting center in this trade
The Golden State Warriors still need a starting center. Coach Steve Kerr has made it clear that he doesn't want Draymond Green playing heavy minutes at center throughout the season. Now the Warriors might need to turn a weak free agent market to fill the gap. Instead of picking from the scrap heap of free-agent centers, the Warriors could also attempt to make a trade for their next starting center. Advertisement One player who has recently become available is Walker Kessler of the Utah Jazz. Kessler, who was a first-team All-Rookie selection just two seasons ago, could become the Warriors' center of the future. The Warriors have been missing an elite rim protector to play alongside Draymond. Kessler has been averaging at least 2.3 blocks per game since his rookie year. Last season, he averaged 11.1 points and 12.2 rebounds for a struggling Jazz team. The Warriors are desperate for someone who can rebound and defend like Kessler. That's why a report by Jovan Buha saying that the Jazz are looking for two draft picks and a young player for Walker has Warriors fans jumping on the NBA trade machine. Advertisement The Warriors have multiple different young players that could interest the rebuilding Jazz, and a few solid draft picks they could offer as well. Follow The Sporting News on WhatsApp One possible Warriors-Walker Kessler trade could be centered on a package featuring Brandin Podziemski and draft capital. The Jazz were reportedly interested in Podziemski this last offseason. If the Warriors are willing to part with their promising young guard, they could land the big man they've been looking for. More NBA: Warriors could trade for near-20-point-per-game scoring, high-flying forward
Yahoo
03-07-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Asking Price for Warriors' Potential Center Target Revealed Amid Trade Rumors
Asking Price for Warriors' Potential Center Target Revealed Amid Trade Rumors originally appeared on Athlon Sports. The Golden State Warriors entered the offseason looking to upgrade their roster around their star trio of Stephen Curry, Jimmy Butler and Draymond Green, but they have failed to make any major moves thus far. Advertisement Golden State did select Alex Toohey and Will Richard in the second round of the 2025 NBA Draft but they have yet to sign anyone in free agency despite it beginning on Monday night. Of course, the Warriors are still awaiting a decision by restricted free agent Jonathan Kuminga as he could elect to either stay in The Bay or sign elsewhere likely via a sign-and-trade. Golden State Warriors stars Steph Curry and Jonathan KumingaNeville E. Guard-Imagn Images The Warriors also entered free agency needing to address their void at the center position and while they have been named as a landing spot for Boston Celtics champion Al Horford, they have yet to add a new starting center. With many big men already finding new teams, Golden State is running out of options and they could instead look to the trade market to upgrade their frontcourt. Advertisement One player who could be available is Utah Jazz center Walker Kessler, who the Warriors could end up targeting. On Wednesday, the Jazz's asking price for Kessler was revealed as Lakers insider Jovan Buha reported that Utah is seeking two first-round picks and a young player for Kessler. This is a massive asking price for the 23-year-old big man but one that a team around the NBA could meet if they are desperate enough to land a center this offseason. Last season, Kessler averaged 11.1 points, 12.2 rebounds, 1.7 assists and 2.4 blocks per game while shooting 66.3% from the field. Utah Jazz center Walker Kessler (24) shoots over Brooklyn Nets center Nic Claxton (33) in the third quarter at Barclays Center. Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images For the Warriors, they may be unwilling to meet Utah's asking price for Kessler, though he would be a solid addition to the roster, especially due to his defensive abilities. Advertisement Despite this, Golden State may wait it out to see if Utah lowers their asking price or they could target a different center to upgrade their lineup. This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jul 2, 2025, where it first appeared.
Yahoo
29-06-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Collin Sexton trade grades: What the heck are the Jazz doing? Is there a Lakers angle to all this?
The Utah Jazz just completed a curious trade, sending high-volume scorer Collin Sexton and a 2030 second-round selection to the Charlotte Hornets for the modest return of Jusuf Nurkić. This is largely confusing and could be the first step in a series of moves for the Jazz. Advertisement Or ... they could just have made a trade that makes very little sense. Guess we'll find out. Onto the grades we go! Jazz get bigger and perhaps clear opportunities for Ace Bailey Let's get one thing out of the way. Sexton is a better player than Nurkić and not by an insignificant margin. For the Jazz to send out a pick sweetener seems backward, especially when you consider Sexton's contract is just $18.9 million and expires next summer, same as Nurkić's. So this isn't even a cap-clearing move. If anything, the Jazz actually take on money, as Nurkić sits at just under $19.4 million. Advertisement So the Jazz took on more money, sent out a pick and also gave away the best player in the deal? There can only be a few explanations for that, and the first centers around Ace Bailey, the fifth overall pick in this week's NBA Draft. Bailey is a high-volume shot-taker, a description that also fits Sexton. By removing Sexton from the equation, the Jazz could be leaning into the Bailey experience by offering him a healthy diet of shots right from the jump. That doesn't quite explain why they'd gift-wrap Sexton to the Hornets. Not unless they're bringing in a center in order to move another, such as Walker Kessler. Advertisement Why would Kessler potentially be on the move? One theory could be the Lakers having interest and perhaps they've offered an attractive package for the 23-year-old. We don't know whether that's in the cards, but surely we can't rule out such a theory, especially given the aforementioned trade package they relinquished for Nurkić, who tends to fall out of the rotation with most teams. Grade: Incomplete. Something here doesn't pass the smell test, and presumably the Jazz have something else lined up. If this is the totality of what they're trying to achieve, then we're looking at a failing grade. Advertisement For Charlotte's side, it all makes sense Sure, the Hornets just shipped out Nurkić and Mark Williams within a week, meaning they don't have a ton of center depth. But they also had another problem. LaMelo Ball hasn't exactly been the pillar of availability in recent years, and Sexton is one hell of an insurance policy. The 26-year-old is a career 18.8-point scorer who has sported a true-shooting percentage of 60.4 during his Jazz tenure. He's a rock-solid reliable scoring option who offers significant efficiency on high volume. If Ball goes down again, the Hornets can easily ask Sexton to absorb the extra offensive responsibility. Advertisement And they got a pick on top of that, while sending out Nurkić, who couldn't even break 20 minutes per game for them. That's a slam dunk. Grade: A+ Whether they got offered this out of thin air or negotiated this over the course of months, the Hornets agreed to terms that overwhelmingly favor them.
