The Los Angeles Lakers have found the starting center they have been searching for.
The Lakers have acquired center Walker Kessler from the Utah Jazz in exchange for unprotected first-round picks in 2031 and 2033, along with first-round pick swaps in 2028 and 2030, according to ESPN's Shams Charania.
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. https://t.co/7kd6UhvHK9
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) July 1, 2026
Kessler will sign a four-year, $130 million contract with the Lakers.
The deal includes a player option in the fourth season and a full trade kicker, solidifying the 24-year-old as the Lakers' long-term answer in the middle.
According to Charania, Kessler and his agent, Aaron Mintz of CAA Sports, held multiple meetings Tuesday night before ultimately landing with their preferred destination in L.A. Lakers GM and president of basketball operations Rob Pelinka and Jazz president of basketball operations Austin Ainge finalized the details of the sign-and-trade agreement on Wednesday.
The move marks the end of a pursuit that had stretched over the last two seasons.
Kessler has repeatedly been linked to the Lakers, and that intensified throughout this offseason with reports of Luka Dončić wanting an A-list center in the Lakers' starting frontcourt.
The Lakers ultimately paid a significant price to land one of the league's top young defensive centers, but they now pair Kessler with Dončić and Austin Reaves as the franchise now builds in the post-LeBron James era.
Kessler has established himself as one of the NBA's premier rim protectors since entering the league.
The 7-foot-2 big man has grown each season in his four-year career in the league.
During the 2024-25 campaign, Kessler emerged for Utah's frontcourt, averaging 11.1 points, 12.2 rebounds and 2.4 blocks in 58 starts. He established himself as one of the league's best young rebounders and interior defenders while shooting at an efficient rate at the rim on 66.3% of his field-goal attempts.
Injuries limited him to just five games last season before a torn labrum in his left shoulder required season-ending surgery.
Kessler remained productive when he was healthy, averaging 14.4 points, 10.8 rebounds and 1.8 blocks while shooting 70.3% from the floor in those five games.
For the Lakers, Kessler fills a glaring need.
His rim protection, rebounding and lob-finishing ability should complement Dončić's playmaking in the pick-and-roll while also giving the Lakers a reliable defensive anchor capable of protecting the paint against the Western Conference's elite frontcourts.