RealGM

The Los Angeles Lakers have gotten off to a 3-0 start under new head coach JJ Redick. But that better-than-expected start doesn't mean the Lakers aren't still looking at ways to upgrade the roster.

One player Los Angeles has interest in is center Walker Kessler of the Utah Jazz. The Lakers are looking for frontcourt depth around Anthony Davis. Jaxson Hayes has been the team's primary backup big, as Jarred Vanderbilt and Christian Wood are recovering from injuries to open the season.

Kessler would fill the backup center spot. He would also allow the Lakers to open games with a bigger lineup, should Redick choose to go that direction. In addition, Kessler makes just $2.9 million this season and $4.9 million next season in the final year of his rookie scale deal. That type of salary is easily acquirable for Los Angeles, who is working against some tight margins with the tax aprons.

Via Jovan Buha/The Athletic

Ainge turned down 2 protected firsts for Kesslar. What exactly are the Lakers going to offer?

StlHawksFan wrote:Ainge turned down 2 protected firsts for Kesslar. What exactly are the Lakers going to offer?

bronny james

StlHawksFan wrote:Ainge turned down 2 protected firsts for Kesslar. What exactly are the Lakers going to offer?

Not all FRP's are equal. Those picks may've had protections on them, whereas the Lakers could remove protections to sweeten the deal.

StlHawksFan wrote:Ainge turned down 2 protected firsts for Kesslar. What exactly are the Lakers going to offer?

Ainge doesn’t mind helping out the Lakers, he’s helped them before get Jared Vanderbilt for basically nothing and Vanderbilt was the main reason the Lakers made it to WCFs that year.

I think Ainge does it to stick it to the Celtics since he knows the rivalry between the two franchises.

StlHawksFan wrote:Ainge turned down 2 protected firsts for Kesslar. What exactly are the Lakers going to offer?

Remove the 1-4 protection on the 2027 Laker pick the Jazz already own and offer the 2029 pick plus filler as well. I think that gets it done.

TheSeeker wrote:

StlHawksFan wrote:Ainge turned down 2 protected firsts for Kesslar. What exactly are the Lakers going to offer?

Remove the 1-4 protection on the 2027 Laker pick the Jazz already own and offer the 2029 pick plus filler as well. I think that gets it done.

Right. Can even throw in woods expiring contract at just over 3m

Revived wrote:

StlHawksFan wrote:Ainge turned down 2 protected firsts for Kesslar. What exactly are the Lakers going to offer?

Ainge doesn’t mind helping out the Lakers, he’s helped them before get Jared Vanderbilt for basically nothing and Vanderbilt was the main reason the Lakers made it to WCFs that year.

I think Ainge does it to stick it to the Celtics since he knows the rivalry between the two franchises.

I assumed he'd still try to help Celtics. If he wanted to stick it to them he'd trade Kessler to the Knicks.

StlHawksFan wrote:Ainge turned down 2 protected firsts for Kesslar. What exactly are the Lakers going to offer?

He turned down the Washington "1st" from NYK that will convey as 2nds, and the Detroit 1st which also has a good chance of conveying as 2nds.

TheSeeker wrote:

StlHawksFan wrote:Ainge turned down 2 protected firsts for Kesslar. What exactly are the Lakers going to offer?

Remove the 1-4 protection on the 2027 Laker pick the Jazz already own and offer the 2029 pick plus filler as well. I think that gets it done.

So the last thing of value they have to get a backup C? Why not trade for Valenciunas? He'd be a mich cheaper option.

StlHawksFan wrote:

TheSeeker wrote:

StlHawksFan wrote:Ainge turned down 2 protected firsts for Kesslar. What exactly are the Lakers going to offer?

Remove the 1-4 protection on the 2027 Laker pick the Jazz already own and offer the 2029 pick plus filler as well. I think that gets it done.

So the last thing of value they have to get a backup C? Why not trade for Valenciunas? He'd be a mich cheaper option.

AD needs to be their starting center. He is dominating right now. At the moment, all they really need is a different look for 12-15. There are much cheaper ways of getting that done. Dwight was at the game the other day; Robin Lopez is unsigned.... etc.

I think Kessler would serve that role but would also be a step towards a post-Lebron era rebuild. If Lebron retires this summer I would watch for an AD trade.

Pickled Prunes wrote:

StlHawksFan wrote:

TheSeeker wrote:
Remove the 1-4 protection on the 2027 Laker pick the Jazz already own and offer the 2029 pick plus filler as well. I think that gets it done.

So the last thing of value they have to get a backup C? Why not trade for Valenciunas? He'd be a mich cheaper option.

AD needs to be their starting center. He is dominating right now. At the moment, all they really need is a different look for 12-15. There are much cheaper ways of getting that done. Dwight was at the game the other day; Robin Lopez is unsigned.... etc.

I think Kessler would serve that role but would also be a step towards a post-Lebron era rebuild. If Lebron retires this summer I would watch for an AD trade.

Agreed and I think this is why we keep seeing these repeated Lakers - Kessler mentions in the media.

I'll be surprised if Pelinka actually lands him, though. Ainge is fairly consistent with getting the return he wants, especially with a popular young player like Kessler who is going to land a nice salary increase on his next deal.

They had Zubac. shoulda kept him

every team should want him

Rek wrote:

Pickled Prunes wrote:

StlHawksFan wrote:
So the last thing of value they have to get a backup C? Why not trade for Valenciunas? He'd be a mich cheaper option.

AD needs to be their starting center. He is dominating right now. At the moment, all they really need is a different look for 12-15. There are much cheaper ways of getting that done. Dwight was at the game the other day; Robin Lopez is unsigned.... etc.

I think Kessler would serve that role but would also be a step towards a post-Lebron era rebuild. If Lebron retires this summer I would watch for an AD trade.

Agreed and I think this is why we keep seeing these repeated Lakers - Kessler mentions in the media.

I'll be surprised if Pelinka actually lands him, though. Ainge is fairly consistent with getting the return he wants, especially with a popular young player like Kessler who is going to land a nice salary increase on his next deal.

True, but I think Ainge is the one telling us that Kessler is popular. He does what he does as well as anybody does it... but what he does is limited. If he were as popular as Ainge wants us to believe he would have been moved by now.

Not even November and we already started with the "Lakers Have Interest In" news...