Basketball
The Los Angeles Lakers are on the hunt for a center this offseason, and Utah Jazz center Walker Kessler is at the top of the list.
The Utah Jazz reportedly received an offer from the Lakers’ president of basketball operations, Rob Pelinka, for Kessler.
Andy Larson of the Salt Lake Tribune reports that the Jazz already have the offer in hand, but it isn’t enough to get the deal done yet.
“I think there’s been an offer presented for Walker Kessler. And, certainly the Lakers have shown significant interest all the way back to the deadline, certainly continuing now,” Larson said during an appearance on the “Locked on Jazz” podcast.
“And him being their future of the center, giving up multiple picks to get there, that is on the table right now. I don’t know if the Jazz take it. Certainly, they haven’t so far.”
On the trade market, there are a couple of young centers available for a deal. Charlotte Hornets center Mark Williams could be on the move again. Brooklyn Nets center Nic Claxton is another name linked to the Lakers.
There are a couple of veterans in free agency, though Pelinka seems keen on getting a young center for the long-term.
The move is pivotal for the Lakers since Luka Doncic loves to play alongside a rim-running center.
The team traded away their only starting-caliber player in getting Doncic, which means the team now needs to dump draft picks and wing players to get a meaningful upgrade.
The Lakers hold one of their future first-round picks, a couple of pick swaps, and several contracts in the $10-$20 million range, a necessity for any deal in the latest Collective Bargaining Agreement.
Jazz executive Danny Ainge is the top decision-maker for the franchise, though he is notorious for being unwilling to deal with the Lakers, making a Kessler deal unlikely unless the Jazz need to shed salary for a free agent or another deal.
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For more news and notes on the Los Angeles Lakers, head on over to Los Angeles Lakers on SI.
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