The Los Angeles Lakers made an intriguing developmental trade on the eve of training camp, moving on from a familiar 7-footer despite a frontcourt that doesn’t have much proven depth behind Walker Kessler.
Their G League affiliate, the Coachella Valley Lakers, acquired guard Jahmir Young‘s NBA G League returning-player rights from the Sioux Falls Skyforce, Miami’s affiliate. Going the other way were the returning rights to center Kylor Kelley and a 2027 G League first-round pick originally belonging to the Rip City Remix.
It amounts to a bet on guard talent over organizational insurance in the middle.
Kelley, 29, spent last season with the then-South Bay Lakers, averaging 8.3 points, 7.1 rebounds and 2.3 blocks in 19 regular-season games. The 7-footer has appeared in 101 G League games and has NBA experience with Dallas and New Orleans.
Now his rights belong to Sioux Falls, although the Skyforce said it has not been determined whether Kelley will join the team this season.
Lakers Move Kylor Kelley Rights Despite Thin Center Depth
There is some risk in surrendering control of Kelley.
The Lakers made a significant investment in Kessler this summer, sending Utah two first-round picks and two future pick swaps before agreeing to a four-year, $130 million contract with the 7-foot-2 center.
Kessler is firmly entrenched as the starter, but the depth chart becomes considerably thinner behind him.
Los Angeles signed veteran Kevon Looney to a one-year deal to serve as Kessler’s primary backup. Sandro Mamukelashvili can also play center, though neither provides Kessler’s combination of size and rim protection.
Kelley wasn’t an immediate answer for the NBA rotation, and acquiring his G League rights didn’t guarantee Los Angeles could simply call him up. But keeping a productive 7-footer inside the developmental system would have provided another option should injuries or roster changes create a need later in the season.
Instead, the Lakers used that asset to pursue a different kind of upside.
Jahmir Young Gives Coachella Valley a G League Star
Young was one of the G League’s most productive guards last season.
The 25-year-old averaged 26.0 points, 8.9 assists and 4.6 rebounds across 25 regular-season games for Sioux Falls, earning All-NBA G League Second Team honors.
For the newly relocated Coachella Valley Lakers, that’s an enticing résumé.
Young can create off the dribble, run an offense and score at all three levels. He also shot 37.6% from 3-point range last season, giving the Lakers another developmental ballhandler who could eventually merit an NBA look.
The transaction doesn’t place Young on the Lakers’ NBA roster, just as trading Kelley doesn’t directly subtract from JJ Redick’s depth chart. G League returning rights are separate from NBA contractual rights.
Still, the personnel choice offers a glimpse into how the organization is reshaping its developmental pipeline.
Los Angeles already has Kessler as its long-term answer in the middle and the experienced Looney behind him. The Lakers apparently decided another high-level creator was more valuable to their G League operation than retaining Kelley’s rights.
That makes Young the prize of the deal.
It also means one of the organization’s more experienced developmental centers will continue his career elsewhere just as the Lakers enter a season in which their depth behind Kessler could become worth watching.
Lakers Land Former Heat Guard for 7-Foot Center’s Rights