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The Los Angeles Lakers‘ search for a center to help Anthony Davis in their frontcourt hit a snag as Utah Jazz‘s Walker Kessler, one of their top trade targets, is unavailable, per Los Angeles Times’ Dan Woike.
“While teams have expressed interest in Utah center Walker Kessler — the Lakers included — the belief in NBA circles is that he’s not available in any realistic trade scenarios, Utah electing to keep one of the NBA’s top rim protectors through the deadline,” Woike reported on January 5.
The 23-year-old Kessler offers elite rim protection.
This season, the 7-foot Jazz center is averaging a career-high 10.4 points on 71.2% field goal shooting, 11.1 rebounds, 2.6 blocks and 1.7 assists.
Imagine the better looks Kessler could get with Davis and LeBron James and the defensive presence he could provide for the Lakers at the rim, which will allow Davis to roam as a weakside defender.
Dream Twin Tower
Lakers coach JJ Redick openly said in the summer that he wanted a bruising center to play next to Davis.
“You certainly have to look at what I think is actually a very good roster, a very balanced roster,” Redick said in an interview with Justin Termine and Eddie Johnson on Sirius XM NBA Radio in July. “We’d love to, we tried, but we’d love to, at some point, get another five man, a big bruising five man.
“You look at the Western Conference right now, whether it’s Denver, Minnesota, OKC with what they added, certainly Memphis, they’re going to be back in the hunt, they added Zach Edey, certain matchups in the playoffs, you’re going to need a lot of size.”
This season, the 7-foot Jazz center is averaging a career-high 10.4 points on 71.2% field goal shooting, 11.1 rebounds, 2.6 blocks and 1.7 assists.
Imagine the better looks Kessler could get with Davis and LeBron James and the defensive presence he could provide for the Lakers at the rim, which will allow Davis to roam as a weakside defender.
Dream Twin Tower
Lakers coach JJ Redick openly said in the summer that he wanted a bruising center to play next to Davis.
“You certainly have to look at what I think is actually a very good roster, a very balanced roster,” Redick said in an interview with Justin Termine and Eddie Johnson on Sirius XM NBA Radio in July. “We’d love to, we tried, but we’d love to, at some point, get another five man, a big bruising five man.
“You look at the Western Conference right now, whether it’s Denver, Minnesota, OKC with what they added, certainly Memphis, they’re going to be back in the hunt, they added Zach Edey, certain matchups in the playoffs, you’re going to need a lot of size.”
Valančiūnas kept it coy amid the reported Lakers’ interest.
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