Entering a pressure-packed summer, the entire NBA world knew the Lakers needed an upgrade at center. After a few iterations of stopgap players and rumors of who would be the perfect big man to pair with their superstar, the team landed their guy on July 1.
LA forked over two first-round picks and two swaps to the Utah Jazz for the just turned 25-year-old Walker Kessler. Known primarily as an elite defensive anchor, the 7’2″ five-man brings a level of stability and structure to an offense fully leaning into its explosive backcourt.
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Today’s NBA is full of pick-and-roll maestros with Luka Dončić and Austin Reaves leading the charge as a duo in total possessions. Both operate at high volume while staying uber-efficient, placing in the 90th and 81st percentiles, respectively. The productive on-ball guards are now set to receive a dangerous dance partner.
The foundation sits on Kessler’s wide base as an excellent screener, making it difficult for defenders to chase around his frame. He blends size with superior feel. Once his primary defender is initiated with the guard, he zips to the rim or open area.
In the clip shown below, he sets up for a dribble handoff with his now fellow Laker teammate Collin Sexton. The on-ball pick obliterates his defender, rendering him completely helpless in the play. He dives in line with his ball handler to collect a bounce pass, leading to the finish at the rim.
Kessler possesses a good understanding of when to set or slip the screen early. The Auburn product leverages his spatial awareness to sneak behind unsuspecting help defenders, commonly finishing with reverse dunks under the rim.
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He’s a massive, unmissable target, serving as a useful release valve when guards find themselves in trouble. When he’s not an on-ball screener, he parks himself around the dunker spot and must be accounted for.
During his latest healthy year in the 2024-25 season, Kessler finished 73.6% of his attempts in the restricted area. That ranked sixth among all centers who attempted at least five per game, ahead of players like Jalen Duren and even Nikola Jokić.
Kessler doesn’t possess the same quick-twitch trampoline as the prototypical lob threats, but is effective nonetheless as a vertical spacer. His 9’5″ standing reach means his catch radius is infinite. What seem to be dangerous lobs like the one below from near half court are in his wheelhouse where a back screen creates a second of indecision, opening up the alley-oop.
Listed at 245 pounds, Kessler brings a bully ball element that’s been missing from LA’s big man rotation. While not someone commanding a high frequency of post touches, teams can’t needlessly switch their perimeter players onto him. He uses a mix of finishes with either hand and nice touch around the basket to take advantage of smaller defenders.
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This really materializes on the glass, where Kessler has a case as the best offensive rebounder in the league. His 4.6 offensive rebounds per game led the league the past two seasons.
When teams switch their bigs out on the perimeter or have them come over for a weak side rotation, Kessler cleans up on the glass every time, as shown in the clip below. Anthony Davis is switched out on the perimeter, leaving Kessler unattended and being boxed out by smaller wings. He easily gobbles the offensive rebound for a putback.
As a play finisher and screener, Kessler will plug in instantly with it easy to envision him next to Luka and Reaves in all their pet actions. On top of that, he’ll add extra possessions on the boards.
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The potential of him and, in turn, the team hinges on his continued development on that end. While playing only five games last year, he flashed real growth in skill adds.
He showed the possibility to be an offensive hub, a look more teams are moving towards, by flashing some high-low action passes and nifty bounces to cutters like the one below.
The biggest question mark is whether the 3-point shooting can be real. While only playing five games last season, Kessler hit six of his eight attempts from behind the arc, matching the total from the previous season where he played 58 games.
He’s already said he’s open to taking more shots outside the arc in head coach J.J. Redick’s offense, and it would make him one of the more valuable players in the league. It would give the team a unique five-out look without sacrificing size on the opposite end.
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The offense isn’t perfect, as his short roll offense is in question without a real in-between game. Elite defenses will test his ability to make quick, high-level reads outside a Utah situation that aggressively chased losses for most of his tenure. Chemistry with the guards will need tweaking throughout the season, but on a team with so much firepower, it doesn’t need to be perfect.
The Lakers desperately needed a stylistic fit at center who would open the path for the guards to be their dynamic selves. With Kessler, they got it.
LA’s newest big man will no doubt earn the bulk of this four-year contract on the defensive end, raising the floor for wins, while his offensive fit and trajectory determine the ceiling of this locked-in core.
You can follow Raj on X at @RajChipalu.
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