Lakers' sign-and-trade for Walker Kessler gets discouraging NBA Insider update

Lakers' sign-and-trade for Walker Kessler gets discouraging NBA Insider update originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

>The Los Angeles Lakers front office has a lot of focuses for the 2026 NBA offseason. One has to be entering the bidding war for LeBron James and the other is making a competitive roster for Luka Doncic. A trade prospect that, apparently, the purple and gold are looking will help them bolster their front court woes to pair with or replace DeAndre Ayton — Utah Jazz's Walker Kessler. But, the chances of landing him are starting to look bleak.

Why Lakers might not land Kessler from JazzSee, the Lakers front office has to wait a bit before making a move. Who are they waiting for? It is none other than DeAndre Ayton. The big man still has to decipher whether or not he will stay with Luka Doncic and Co. until June 29, 2026 due to an $8.1 million player contract attached to his current deal. If he does not opt in, then the Lakers could possibly lose their big man to unrestricted free agency and this will open a lot of woes that the front office has to patch up.

>Walker Kessler has been a name that the Lakers have been targeting for a bit now. If Ayton does decide to walk, the front office could make a large swing at landing the Jazz big man in the coming days of the NBA offseason. Per Dan Woike of The Athletic, there could be some legs to a sign-and-trade that could give Doncic a reliable young front court talent heading into the future. The biggest hindrances are Danny Ainge and the rest of the Jazz front office.

>"Walker Kessler is someone they’ve targeted in the past, and the door could be slightly open for a sign-and-trade that would make Utah uncomfortable with the financial commitment to their frontcourt. But I just don’t think the Jazz want to deal him — they’ve had chances," the NBA insider declared.

>If it does go through, Kessler might just be who the Lakers need to pair or replace Ayton. He was out for the season during the Jazz's 2025-26 run but it seems like they already found their front court centerpiece with Jaren Jackson Jr. Prior to going down due to the shoulder injury, Kessler was able to average 14.4 points on 70.3% field goal shooting alongside 10.8 rebounds and 1.8 blocks per night. He could be the reliable rim protector that helps Doncic's Lakers compete in the coming seasons.

>The next question here will be: what will the Lakers be ready to give up for the sign-and-trade in landing the Jazz young gun?

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