Lakers acquire Walker Kessler in sign-and-trade

sportsJul 1, 202647580

The Los Angeles Lakers acquired 7-foot-2 center Walker Kessler from the Utah Jazz in a sign-and-trade that sends the Lakers’ unprotected 2031 and 2033 first-round picks plus first-round pick swaps in 2028 and 2030 to Utah. Kessler will sign a four-year, $130 million contract with the Lakers, a $32.5 million annual average value, once the deal is finalized. The 24-year-old shot blocker averaged 2.4 blocks, 12.2 rebounds and 11.1 points during the 2024-25 season but played just five games last season after tearing a left shoulder labrum. The Lakers entered the day with more than $50 million in cap space and used this sign-and-trade rather than expecting Utah to match an offer sheet for the restricted free agent. No players move to Utah in the transaction, leaving the Jazz with draft assets in exchange for Kessler and the Lakers substantially reduced in first-round draft capital. Deandre Ayton has opted into his $8.1 million contract and the Lakers now have their long-term starting center in place with Kessler designated as their center of the future.

Shams Charania Tweets

@shamsbot.bsky.social

BREAKING: The Los Angeles Lakers are acquiring Walker Kessler from the Utah Jazz for unprotected first-round picks in 2031 and 2033 and first-round swaps in 2028 and 2030, sources tell ESPN. Kessler will sign a massive four-year, $130 million deal with the Lakers.

7145d ago

NBA Burner8

Seems like an overpay on trade assets and on salary. Lakers would have been better off beating the Celtics’ offer for Mitchell Robinson and keeping their picks and swaps.

Nice Joe Greene4

Lol good luck to Walker, glad you got paid but you're about to have some really angry lakers fans in your mentions the moment they underachieve.

Daniel Joyaux3

Completely insane overpay. Ainge might actually be drinking right now.

Jaron Abelsohn3

That’s a lot of draft assets for Kessler

Jay Baller2

That is a ton of capital and money for Kessler

SciGuy171

Laker's do know that his shoulder structure issue surely exists in the other shoulder, right? He has a higher risk of season ending injury from other shoulder or an issue in surgically repaired one. Oh well, at least it's overhyped Lakers' problem.

Quoting this

John Moe21

The Lakers wanted a guy who could walk but also, and this was important, kessle. Huge signing.

Rodrigo4

All this just to stop Lamelo smh

Bray Riott4

They're hiring Gene Hackman to coach them

adrian4

I'm old enough to remember when the lakers overpaid another big white center

【IV Λ N 】3

First all white nba team since the 50's here we come!

Commander Keen3

Seems like it was LeGM stopping Pelinka from making stupid trades all these years #lakers

👜3

luka, reaves, and kessler now lakers forming a white boy army #ethonostate #fascist

Randolph Lee Welty2

My team starting to look like the Celtics in the 80s. (derogatory)

AdotSad2

This is an insane deal for the Lakers lol, Jazz absolutely fleeced them

BobbySegs2

I have never been a Kessler fan but still this feels like a fleecing for Jazz. Idk how they got this much equity for him.

NBA Daily News

@insidenbanews.bsky.social

BREAKING NEWS Trade summary, per Shams Charania: Lakers get - Walker Kessler Jazz get - 2 first-round picks, 2 first-round pick swaps Kessler to sign 4-year, $130 deal with Lakers.

3945d ago

Quoting this

coming out of retirement; One Last Post6

man a big 3 of Luka, Bron, AR with a functional defensive anchor would have been a good squad. Too bad LA's been playing rodter whackamole ever since the bubble

أحمد ☘️𓂀4

4 first round picks for fucking kessler but it’s a steep price for a finals mvp?? 🤣😆

Colin Brady2

That’s CRAZZZZZY. I mean…wow. Also: a very white starting lineup. Just sayin.

Matt2

Lakers get him at $32.5M per which still leaves them almost $20M in cap space.

KeithSmithNBA

@keithsmithnba.bsky.social

The new look Lakers: Luka Doncic Austin Reaves Walker Kessler Sandro Mamukelashvili Quentin Grimes Collin Sexton Jake LaRavia Deandre Ayton Jarred Vanderbilt Bronny James Cameron Carr Adou Thiero Dalton Knecht Two open roster spots for veteran minimum signings and about $5.5M under the tax.

3645d ago

NBA Causal3

I’d like it a whole lot more if they’d kept Smart over Sexton and LeBron over Mamu.

theochoooooo.bsky.social2

Do they have a chance to get rid of Vando?

Dan1

Current starting lineup? Who is next on the chopping block and who should they still try to acquire?

Quoting this

KeithSmithNBA25

My quick thoughts: -Lakers need a real PF -Team is still short on perimeter defense -Could still use more shooting Maybe trades come to round things out, but there are real holes for the Lakers right now, despite adding a bunch of guys today.

Bryan Toporek9

So, uh, who’s starting at the 3 for the Lakers?

ben7

46-36, lose first round to Denver

Dart Adams7

This roster has Bobson Bugnutt & Todd Bonzalez on it…

Andrew Hammond6

I can smell the fight for 45 wins from here.

Clark Matthews2

Trying to replicate Luka's success with Lively and Gafford by bringing in Kessler and Mamu kind of makes me think they don't understand what worked for Luka in Dallas.

adamnyeary15.bsky.social2

Whiteout night at Staples every night (no not the thing with the shirts)

adrian2

CPU-generated players in your sixth season of nba2k mycareer

Mike Vorkunov

@mikevorkunov.bsky.social

Lakers used the bounty they wanted to send for Mark Williams, plus another 1st + swap, to get Walker Kessler. It's a STEEP price to pay but Lakers get him on a good contract. He'll be worth 19.7% of the cap in 2026-27 if it's a flat deal or 17.6% if it's escalating. That's far from 25% rookie max.

2345d ago

Michael Pina

@michaelvpina.bsky.social

wrote about the lakers going all in for walker kessler (?) nbarankings.theringer.com/the-offer-sh...

2645d ago

Gold Tinted Lens1

My understanding is that teams had offered two picks for Kessler in the past and Utah said no. Whether it works or not, in theory he is the perfect fit with a Luka and AR backcourt, eventually you just have to go for it. Long term Bron and Smart were never realistic in a build around Luka.

Billy Sunday1

I follow the nba some, the lakers quite a bit more. I have no clue who walker Kessler is

mkitzman1

At $30.2 million a year the massive overpay for Kessler has him ranked 61st in the NBA salary just behind Derrick White and ahead of Andrew Wiggins. He’s now 10th out of Centers. Yikes!

Sarah Todd

@nbasarah.bsky.social

Can confirm Jazz are sending Walker Kessler to the Lakers for a picks package that includes unprotected picks in 2031 and 2033, swaps in 2028 and 2030. Also, Jazz will get a trade exception worth half of Walker's first-year salary with the Lakers on his new, four-year $130M deal

2445d ago

Andy2

What's your initial reaction to this trade? Feels like the Jazz got a really good return, but also set them back competitively - especially on defense. I really wanted to see how the new lineup performed with Kessler, but 🤷‍♂️

functional moron

@fiveburger.bsky.social

i think giving walker kessler that much money is racist

2445d ago

Dan Devine

@yourmandevine.bsky.social

At Y! Sports: Wrote about the Lakers landing Walker Kessler, and their big bet that he can be the A-lister that Luka Dončić wanted in Hollywood: yhoo.it/44GrdOY

1745d ago

Zach Kram

@zachkram.bsky.social

Let out an audible "wow" at the Mitchell Robinson/Celtics news, and then a much louder "WHOA" at the Walker Kessler/Lakers trade

2245d ago

Yossi Gozlan

@yossigozlan.bsky.social

Los Angeles Lakers salary cap situation after sign and trading for Walker Kessler. His contract can start as low as $30.2 million, leaving the Lakers with $23.1 million in remaining cap space. They're now hard capped to the first apron and have 0 first-round picks to trade.

1345d ago

SLC Unc

@dadshammdad.bsky.social

The Lakers just gave the majority of the money they re-cooped from Lebron to Walker Kessler. That's objectively hilarious.

1945d ago

SLC Unc12

It is objectively funny that the Jazz just got more for Walker Kessler than the Mavs did for Luka.

Ryan Bernardoni

@dangercart.bsky.social

I cannot believe the Lakers gave that up for Walker Kessler

1945d ago

John Hollinger

@johnhollinger.bsky.social

I have a large batch of thoughts in here as the transaction cycle rages on, from Walker Kessler to Mitchell Robinson to Marcus Smart to Mike Conley to Mamu to Vooch ... www.nytimes.com/athletic/liv...

1845d ago

iPacers.com - Derek Kramer

@ipacers.bsky.social

Walker Kessler cost the Lakers two unprotected firsts and two swaps and they have to pay him 4/130. Zubac trade looking pretty nice today.

1445d ago

Norm Charlatan

@normcharlatan.bsky.social

I don’t know if Walker Kessler is worth any of this, nor is there any evidence that the Jazz are better now than they were then, but he was kind of a random throwaway in this Gobert trade.

1845d ago

3 sources

espn.comLakers trading for Jazz center Walker Kessler, sources say nytimes.comNBA free agency 2026 live updates: Mitchell Robinson to sign with Boston; Walker Kessler traded to Lakers ocregister.comLakers trade for Walker Kessler, agree to $130 million deal

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Lakers acquire Walker Kessler in sign-and-trade

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