Everyone in the NBA knows it. Everyone watching the NBA knows it. The Los Angeles Lakers know it, though they haven't been particularly successful in doing anything about it. Since the Luka trade moved Anthony Davis to the Dallas Mavericks, the Lakers desperately need a strong center. As anyone watching the playoffs saw, this is a 'right now' kind of fix.
The person they need at the five has to provide solid, reliable rim protection, be able to pull down rebounds, and be a lob threat for Luka. Ironically, Anthony Davis would be the perfect fit, but that door is probably all but closed.
The Lakers looked close last season with Mark Williams from the Hornets but pulled the plug on the trade after they reportedly didn't like something on his medical exam. But the solution might be hanging out in Utah and playing center for the Jazz.
Walker Kessler has everything that the Lakers are looking for, plus he's only 23. That means he can grow into his role on the team alongside other young players like Austin Reaves. The question at this point is if the front office can get the trade done or not, and the situation is complicated.
The Lakers search for a center
Since the Luka/AD trade, the Lakers have been weak in the paint. The Timberwolves took advantage of that as Rudy Gobert of all people ran roughshod all over them. Had the Lakers completed the Mark Williams trade, that may not have been an issue. Instead, the Phoenix Suns now have Williams as part of their soft rebuild process in the post-Kevin Durant era.
More recently, the Lakers picked up center Deandre Ayton as a free agent from the Trail Blazers, though no one knows why. He doesn't provide effective or consistent rim protection. He's definitely not much of a lob threat for Luka to work with. He does regularly average over 10 points and 10 rebounds per game when healthy, which is great. But there are other issues.
The Trail Blazers recently bought out the former number one draft pick's contract, reputedly just to get rid of him. His temper and bad attitude may have been the real deciding factors. Apparently, he was constantly late and would throw tantrums when pulled from games. It seems like Ayton comes with a lot of baggage and not the on court skills. That's why they need Kessler. Badly.
Walker Kessler should be the next Laker
Kessler is exactly who the Lakers are looking for. He's a young, promising center who has already shown his skills as a rim protector and would match up well with Luka Doncic, Austin Reaves, and Rui Hachimura. Plus, spending some time under the learning tree of LeBron James could only help Kessler develop into a more dominant big man.
The problem is the steep asking price. While the Jazz are willing to make a trade involving Kessler, they want two first-round draft picks and a young player in exchange for him. At the moment, the Lakers seem unable to put that package together.
If Rob Pelinka is determined to pull this off, he may have to involve a third team. It's obvious the Jazz know how bad the Lakers need Kessler and might just be letting them marinate in their own desperation for a bit.
So far, the Lakers have already missed out on Jonas Valanciunas, Mark Williams, Luke Kornet, and a very unexpected Myles Turner. Deandre Ayton will do in a pinch but he's not the center they need going into the future. Walker Kessler is the man for the job. Pelinka and company might just have to make a bigger deal than expected to land him, but it will be worth it in the long run.