The Los Angeles Lakers acquired center Walker Kessler from the Utah Jazz in a sign-and-trade this week, signing him to a four-year, $130 million contract that includes a player option and full trade kicker. The Lakers sent Utah unprotected first-round picks in 2031 and 2033 along with first-round swaps in 2028 and 2030, one of the steepest offseason price tags in recent memory. The move was driven largely by Luka Doncic’s desire for an elite rim-protecting center, with reports indicating Kessler was his top target.
