Shams: LAL acquires Walker Kessler

[Donoghus]

Shams Charania
@ShamsCharania
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1m
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.

[Celtics2021]

Shams Charania
@ShamsCharania
?
1m
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.

Wow that is a lot of picks.  And JB is only worth two, my patooty.

[Donoghus]

Shams Charania
@ShamsCharania
?
1m
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.

Wow that is a lot of picks.  And JB is only worth two, my patooty.

Yeah, something is not adding up here.

[radiohead]

Oh Danny why are you helping the Lakers?! That?s a massive contract though. Is Kessler worth all that money?

[Donoghus]

Shams Charania
@ShamsCharania
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7m
Kessler's $130M deal includes a player option in the fourth season, plus a full trade kicker, sources tell ESPN. The Lakers land their signature center for star guards Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves by moving two firsts and two swaps to the Jazz.

[celticinorlando]

Utah just fleeced the Lakers for guy they were never bringing back.

[Who]

Smart move.

Contract is good. $130mil / 4yrs. That is $32.5mil per year. Fair money for a player of his caliber. The picks are what I thought they should have given up last season to acquire Nic Claxton. That Nic Claxton would have made the Lakers team a title contender. Not doing that wasted a chance to win with LeBron. And keep LeBron.

Still, this is a good move now. I like the trio of Luka, A Reaves, and Kessler. I hope they can keep Hachimura. They need a quality forward alongside Luka and Hachimura has been great for them. Hachimura and Kessler would give them a strong defensive backline to help protect those two on the perimeter.

Oh and they still have Ayton. So Kessler & Ayton at center. 48min of quality center play. If they keep Jaxson Hayes, a top notch 3rd string center as well.

[SparzWizard]

Darn this makes them better.

But wow two unprotected firsts to Utah

[Who]

So I presume this means Utah will start Nurkic now.

G: K George
G: Darryn Peterson
F: Markkanen
F: Jaren Jackson
C: Nurkic

Then they have Filipowski off the bench. Nurk will probably only play 20-25mpg. They can play Markkanen (PF) and JJJ (C) together for a good chunk of minutes. That will be their closing combination. Filipowski to get the remaining big man minutes.

[Who]

Utah Jazz

G: Keyonte George, Isaiah Collier
G: Darryn Peterson, Svi Mykhailiuk, Jon Konchar
F: Markkanen, Ace Bailey, Sensabough, Cody Williams
F: Jaren Jackson, (Markkanen)
C: Nurkic, Filipowski

Utah have got a lot of players at the SG and SF positions.

I would expect Ace Bailey to get most of the backup SF minutes. That leaves Sensabough and Cody Williams in a bad way. Sensabough is a shooting SF who is too slow to play guard and too small to play PF. They should try to trade him. See if they can get anything for him. Cody Williams hasn't shown anything at any position which is disappointing for a late lotto pick.

I expect Svi will get the backup SG minutes given his shooting. Konchar a defensive option. I imagine Utah will want Svi's shooting given Ace Bailey's inconsistent outside shot.

They need some 3rd stringers at PG and big man slots.

Utah had Kevin Love as a 3rd string center last season. I wonder if Miami goes back in for him. He was good for Miami in that role in the past (screens, passing, shooting, rebounding) and would fit well next to Giannis on offense.

[Birdman]

Ugh why would anyone help the lakers

[Who]

LA Lakers

G: A Reaves, Bronny
G: Cameron Carr
F: Luka Doncic, A Thiero, Knecht
F: Mamu, LaRavia, Vanderbilt
C: W Kessler, D Ayton

Hachimura is a FA. So is Jaxson Hayes. Kennard has already left for Phoenix. LeBron has left. Smart left for Houston. 5 rotation players from last year gone or likely going.

With the Mamu signing, I am guessing Hachimura is gone. That they couldn't afford Hachimura so they signed Mamu as a cheaper alternative. They still have LaRavia. I prefer LaRavia to Mamu. Lakers fans do not like LaRavia much. He struggled with his shot last year. Mamu is a legit shooter. I'd start LaRavia for his defensive versatility but LAL spent that money on Mamu and do not seem to rate LaRavia that highly so I am guessing Mamu is the new starting PF.

They have no established perimeter to start alongside A Reaves or Luka Doncic yet. I am guessing Cameron Carr is the best option as things currently stand. They have no bench guards other than Bronny. So 2 issues that need addressing.

[Roy H.]

Good move for both teams.  It sucks that the Lakers get better.

[Neurotic Guy]

Anything that improves the Lakers is bad. But I don?t really see them moving into that West upper echelon. I am still disgusted that Doncic is there.

[Who]

Actually Jake LaRavis is a lot like Hugo Gonzales.

LaRavia around 6-7 physically powerful forward. A possession creator and defender like Hugo. A good passer as well. LaRavia has had 1 good year shooting the ball and 3 mediocre years.

They have a lot in common. Skill-wise and in terms of physical talent.