Walker Kessler played just 16 minutes in his Los Angeles Lakers preseason debut Tuesday night, but the difference between having him on the floor and watching him from the bench was difficult to ignore.
The Lakers outscored the Golden State Warriors by 15 points with Kessler playing. Without him, they were outscored by 27 in a 101-89 loss in Las Vegas.
That 42-point swing in scoring differential was striking, even for a preseason game.
Kessler finished with 11 points and nine rebounds, providing the Lakers with the interior presence they had been missing.
But his performance also exposed a potential roster weakness that Lakers analyst Jovan Buha believes the front office should address before the February trade deadline.
Lakers Urged to Find Traditional Backup Center for Walker Kessler
On his YouTube show, “Buha’s Block,” after the Warriors game, Buha praised Kessler’s impact but questioned whether the Lakers have enough defensive size behind him.
“I think the goal for the Lakers ahead of the trade deadline should be to acquire the type of big that can’t — it’s not going to replicate what Kessler does — but can you at least be closer to the Kessler side of the ledger than what Mamu and Kevon Looney do defensively?” Buha said.
The concern extends beyond rebounding and rim protection.
Sandro Mamukelashvili and Looney offer different offensive skill sets, but neither replicates Kessler’s combination of vertical spacing and defensive presence.
Mamukelashvili is primarily a pick-and-pop threat who can stretch defenses with his outside shooting. That versatility has value, but he isn’t a traditional rim protector.
Looney provides physical screens, positional rebounding and experience. However, he is less effective as a rolling threat and lacks the mobility to cover the same defensive ground as Kessler.
Kessler, meanwhile, gives Los Angeles a legitimate lob target who can finish above the rim while protecting the basket at the other end.
Buha also raised concerns about the backups’ rebounding.
Mamukelashvili collected seven boards against Golden State after averaging just two through the Lakers’ first three preseason games.
Looney remains a capable rebounder, but his limited mobility makes pursuing loose balls outside his immediate area more difficult.
Neither offers the complete package Kessler brings.
Walker Kessler’s Plus-Minus Highlights Team’s Biggest Concern
Kessler’s plus-15 rating in 16 minutes stood in sharp contrast to the Lakers’ minus-27 mark without him.
Those numbers came in a single exhibition game with different lineup combinations and without the Lakers’ two starters, Luka Doncic and Ziaire Williams, but they showed the value of a legitimate defensive anchor.
Kessler’s impact went beyond his box score.
His presence discouraged drives, helped Los Angeles control the defensive glass and gave the Lakers a vocal organizer on the back line.
Buha also liked the early chemistry between Kessler and Austin Reaves.
That partnership could become even more dangerous when Doncic returns, giving the Lakers an elite pick-and-roll creator capable of finding Kessler for easy finishes around the basket.
There were growing pains, particularly when Golden State’s five-out offense forced Kessler to defend away from the rim.
Still, his debut provided an encouraging glimpse of the Lakers’ potential with a traditional center anchoring their defense.
The question now is whether Los Angeles can maintain enough of that identity when Kessler sits.
For Buha, finding another mobile, defensive-minded big man before the trade deadline could help solve that problem.
Lakers Urged to Make Trade Deadline Move Despite Walker Kessler’s Impressive Debut