FILE – Utah Jazz center Walker Kessler (24) dunks in the course of the second half of an NBA basketball game, Oct. 27, 2025, in Salt Lake City. (AP Photo/Anna Fuder, File)
Walker Kessler is being traded by the Utah Jazz to the Los Angeles Lakers, who may have the middle under contract for the following 4 NBA seasons and for a complete of about $130 million, an individual with knowledge of the agreement said Wednesday.
The Jazz are getting two first-round draft picks and two first-round pick swaps out of the deal, based on the one who spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity since the move is a sign-and-trade and has yet to receive the needed league approvals.
The Athletic and ESPN were amongst those to first report the agreement.
Acquiring Kessler is the primary big move for the Lakers of their post-LeBron James era, after the NBA’s all-time leading scorer said Tuesday that he was leaving the team and would spend this coming season elsewhere. And it solves a necessity at center for the Lakers, plus gives the team a young big to pair with star guards Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves.
Kessler — who turns 25 later this month — was limited to 5 games this past season after having surgery to repair a labrum tear in his left shoulder in November. He and the Jazz discussed an extension last summer but never got here to terms.
Kessler was averaging 14.4 points, 10.8 rebounds and 1.8 blocks on 70% shooting this past season before getting hurt. In his first three seasons, he averaged 9.4 points on 68% shooting.
He played for the U.S. on the 2023 FIBA World Cup within the Philippines.