The Los Angeles Lakers made one move that had more meaning behind it than the rest. That decision started and ended with making Luka Doncic happy. Now, it is up to Doncic to bring the best out of not only his new teammate, but himself, too.
The Lakers started July with a bang. Maybe that bang will go down one day as the move that was the spark for the magical Luka Doncic era. Are we putting that much onto the shoulders of new Lakers big man Walker Kessler? Yes, yes we are. Heck, what star-caliber Lakers big man hasn’t had enormous shoes to fill anyway?
L.A.’s move for Kessler — a sign-and-trade that saw the Lakers surrender the most draft picks for a non-All-Star in NBA history — has drawn numerous opinions, and there’s no middle ground. Depending on whom you ask, the Lakers either made a brilliant move or one that will derail their future. Now, it is time for Kessler to show what he is made of on one of the hottest stages in all of sports.
Kessler Could Give the Lakers an ‘Unstoppable’ Luka Doncic
No one will argue that Kessler is in Los Angeles for any reason other than Doncic, the man long hailed for his ability to bring out the best in his forward and center teammates. The Athletic’s Tony Jones believes Kessler is not only a worthy investment for the Lakers, but also someone who will truly elevate Doncic.
“They’re paying him to set screens and roll down the lane and provide a real outlet for Austin Reaves and Luka Doncic,” Jones told Lakers reporter Jovan Buha during an appearance on “Buha’s Block.” “And Doncic plays his best when he has a rim-running center. When he had Dereck Lively (II) and Daniel Gafford in Dallas, Luka Doncic was close to unstoppable because he had that outlet. As good as he has been with the Lakers, he wasn’t on that level, on the Dallas level, because he didn’t have that rim-running center. He didn’t have that guy he could just throw the ball up to. Now, with Walker Kessler, he does have that guy.”
Kessler, 25, has averaged a steady 9.5 points, 9.3 rebounds and 2.4 blocks per game over four seasons. He has never shot below 65 percent from the field and, perhaps even more impressively, averaged 4.6 offensive rebounds two seasons ago. Now, it is important to remember that he has had this kind of production without playing with a guard even in the same stratosphere as Doncic.
Why L.A. Gave Up a King’s Ransom for Kessler
As Jones noted, it is understandable that some people are critical of the Lakers for giving up as much as they did for someone who hasn’t achieved a single All-Star appearance and doesn’t even average double-figures in points for his career, but there are many reasons why the Lakers can count on Kessler as a long-term franchise cornerstone.
“I think I see both sides of the argument,” Jones said when asked about the criticism the Lakers have received for expending a chunk of their assets for Kessler. “On one side of the argument, this is a move that is generally reserved for a guy who is already a star. … Him being out there affects a team’s ability to win, and I think most of all, that’s what the Lakers are paying for. They’re paying for him to cover up mistakes on the defensive end, which he can do. And he’s pretty good at playing without fouling.”
The Lakers ultimately couldn’t afford not to go out of their way to land a center with true superstar potential. After all, they had the assets to do so, and when a team has a player on the level of Doncic, the window of opportunity is often short.
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