Originally published by LakersNation.com
As the Los Angeles Lakers look to get back into championship contention this offseason, one position they are hoping to improve is center.
Perhaps the best available is Walker Kessler of the Utah Jazz, who is a restricted free agent. The Jazz have turned down numerous trade offers for Kessler is recent years, which appeared to be a signal that they want to keep him long term. Things may not play out that way though as negotiations have gotten Kessler to the point where he is considering a departure from the Jazz, via Sam Amick of The Athletic:
Utah Jazz center Walker Kessler is at odds with the team’s front office over the current handling of his restricted free agency, league sources told The Athletic.
Kessler, the 24-year-old who was taken 22nd overall out of Auburn by the Memphis Grizzlies before his rights were traded to the Minnesota Timberwolves and eventually the Jazz in 2022, was already known to be frustrated by Utah’s choice not to offer him an extension last summer. And now, with the Jazz choosing to leverage the realities of restricted free agency against him as a way to minimize his market, sources say he is strongly considering the prospect of a basketball future outside Utah.
If Kessler is indeed available then the Lakers will surely be interested as they have made trade offers for him in the past:
He remains one of the most coveted rim-protecting talents in the league, with teams like the Los Angeles Lakers, Indiana Pacers, Atlanta Hawks, Washington Wizards, Toronto Raptors and New York Knicks having made significant pushes to acquire him in the past.
The unfortunate part about restricted free agency is the Jazz don’t really need to negotiate anything with Kessler. They have the ability to match any offersheet he signs with another team, making it tough for him to land anywhere else unless he signs a one-year qualifying offer to become an unrestricted free agent next offseason or is signed and traded so the Jazz get some assets back for him.
The former option rarely happens, so the most likely scenario here is Kessler ending up back in Utah. Their roster construction is interesting though as they already have two frontcourt players on max deals in Lauri Markkanen and Jaren Jackson Jr.
Because of that, teams like the Lakers may feel like the Jazz won’t be willing to match a lucrative offersheet for Kessler. The 24-year-old would unquestionably be a great fit with Luka Doncic as a lob threat and rim protector, but it remains to be seen if the Lakers would tie up their cap space for a couple of days by signing him to an offersheet that could ultimately be matched by his current team.
Regardless, a player that once seemed to be unobtainable could now be a sign-and-trade or restricted free agency option for L.A. this summer.
Restricted free agency may not be feasible option for Lakers
Despite this report surrounding the availability of Kessler, the Lakers unsurprisingly don’t seem to view restricted free agency as a feasible option to improve their roster this summer.
The Lakers will have three first-round picks to trade and also the ability to open up significant cap space, giving them multiple paths to improve if they can’t lure a restricted free agent like Kessler to L.A.
If you love our reporting, choose LakersNation.com as a preferred source on Google.
As the Los Angeles Lakers look to get back into championship contention this offseason, one position they are hoping to improve is center.
Perhaps the best available is Walker Kessler of the Utah Jazz, who is a restricted free agent. The Jazz have turned down numerous trade offers for Kessler is recent years, which appeared to be a signal that they want to keep him long term. Things may not play out that way though as negotiations have gotten Kessler to the point where he is considering a departure from the Jazz, via Sam Amick of The Athletic:
Utah Jazz center Walker Kessler is at odds with the team’s front office over the current handling of his restricted free agency, league sources told The Athletic.
Kessler, the 24-year-old who was taken 22nd overall out of Auburn by the Memphis Grizzlies before his rights were traded to the Minnesota Timberwolves and eventually the Jazz in 2022, was already known to be frustrated by Utah’s choice not to offer him an extension last summer. And now, with the Jazz choosing to leverage the realities of restricted free agency against him as a way to minimize his market, sources say he is strongly considering the prospect of a basketball future outside Utah.
If Kessler is indeed available then the Lakers will surely be interested as they have made trade offers for him in the past:
He remains one of the most coveted rim-protecting talents in the league, with teams like the Los Angeles Lakers, Indiana Pacers, Atlanta Hawks, Washington Wizards, Toronto Raptors and New York Knicks having made significant pushes to acquire him in the past.
The unfortunate part about restricted free agency is the Jazz don’t really need to negotiate anything with Kessler. They have the ability to match any offersheet he signs with another team, making it tough for him to land anywhere else unless he signs a one-year qualifying offer to become an unrestricted free agent next offseason or is signed and traded so the Jazz get some assets back for him.
The former option rarely happens, so the most likely scenario here is Kessler ending up back in Utah. Their roster construction is interesting though as they already have two frontcourt players on max deals in Lauri Markkanen and Jaren Jackson Jr.
Because of that, teams like the Lakers may feel like the Jazz won’t be willing to match a lucrative offersheet for Kessler. The 24-year-old would unquestionably be a great fit with Luka Doncic as a lob threat and rim protector, but it remains to be seen if the Lakers would tie up their cap space for a couple of days by signing him to an offersheet that could ultimately be matched by his current team.
Regardless, a player that once seemed to be unobtainable could now be a sign-and-trade or restricted free agency option for L.A. this summer.
Restricted free agency may not be feasible option for Lakers
Despite this report surrounding the availability of Kessler, the Lakers unsurprisingly don’t seem to view restricted free agency as a feasible option to improve their roster this summer.
The Lakers will have three first-round picks to trade and also the ability to open up significant cap space, giving them multiple paths to improve if they can’t lure a restricted free agent like Kessler to L.A.
If you love our reporting, choose LakersNation.com as a preferred source on Google.