The Los Angeles Lakers have been attempting to acquire Walker Kessler for nearly two years. Finally, it looks like they might get their hands on the talented young center. With the 7-foot-0 center failing to reach an agreement with the Utah Jazz on a rookie-scale contract extension, he’s now set to become a restricted free agent next summer.
If this summer is any evidence, restricted free agency might not result in a lot of offer sheets. However, only a few teams had cap space to spend on free agents this offseason. Next year, that won’t be the case.
Lakers Might Finally Get Longtime Trade Target Walker Kessler
During the 2024-25 NBA season, Kessler averaged career-high per game averages in points (11.1) and rebounds (12.2). He also played 30.0 minutes per game, getting a bigger role in Utah. Yet, according to a recent report, “the two sides have had multiple meetings about a possible extension. Though the Jazz have put a formal offer on the table, they haven’t come relatively close to striking a deal.”
In other words, the difference in salary is substantial and they probably won’t reach an agreement. Trying to pry him from Utah’s grip is more feasible than ever. Of course, since Kessler will be a restricted free agent, the Jazz can match any offer. However, it looks like the two sides are far on the salary spectrum, which the Lakers can use to their advantage.
The Driver’s Seat
There have been three teams with serious interest in trading for Kessler in the past two years. Those are the Lakers, the Golden State Warriors, and the New York Knicks. Out of the three, only the Lakers are in a position to have ample cap space next summer.
No matter what happens with the tricky Jonathan Kuminga situation, the Warriors cannot clear enough space to offer him a contract. Instead, the Warriors are positioning themselves for the summer of 2027, when they hope they can strike big on free agents like Nikola Jokic and Giannis Antetokounmpo.
The New York Knicks are also in a difficult cap situation. They’re heavily invested in their current core, with almost their entire starting lineup making over $30 million per year. For the Knicks to have enough money for a splash free agent signing, they’d likely have to trade both OG Anunoby and Karl-Anthony Towns to a team with cap space. Suffice it to say, that’s not happening.
On the other hand, the Lakers are poised to have plenty of available cap space. Their ducks have to get in a row, specifically in terms of what happens with LeBron James and Austin Reaves. However, most of the contracts on the Lakers’ payroll expire after this season.
Will The Jazz Pull The Plug?
In the past several years, good players have rarely gotten to free agency. Usually, if the team and the player can’t agree to an extension, a trade follows. Keeping that in mind, the Jazz currently have players like Taylor Hendricks and Kyle Filipowski who can take over the starting center position.
If Kessler is looking for a max contract, or a number that’s close to it, the Jazz might decide to trade him. The problem with going that route is that he’ll make $4.8 million in 2025-26. That’s not a high enough salary to fetch an established player. Therefore, the offers they received for him will have to be centered around draft picks.
Even then though, teams around the league might be hesitant to trade for Kessler, knowing all too well that the Lakers can throw money at him in the summer of 2026.
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