The Los Angeles Lakers got off to a hot start to the 2026-27 NBA season, with some strong performances from the newly locked-down supporting stars behind Luka Doncic in Austin Reaves and Walker Kessler.
The Lakers signed the two players to major contract extensions this summer, totaling a combined $310 million to put them next to Doncic for at least the end of the decade.
But while both Reaves and Kessler got off to a strong start for the Lakers this season, based on the new money they got, there is still a real chance the team’s decision to sign both could prove to be the wrong move, which could eventually lead to a trade down the road.
Lakers Get Concerning Austin Reaves and Walker Kessler Contract Outlook
Writing for FadeawayWorld.com, Fran Leiva tabbed both Reaves and Kessler as two players who need to perform this season so they don’t turn into bad contracts for the Lakers, which could lead to one or both of them getting traded.
On Reaves’ front, Leiva believes that while the star shooting guard deserved the four-year, $180 million he signed for, there’s a real chance he could be targeted if the Lakers aren’t winning games.
“Austin Reaves getting $180 million is one of the coolest stories in the NBA, especially because he entered the league undrafted in 2021. But I also think there’s a pretty good chance people start questioning that contract if the Lakers don’t win enough games this season,” the writer stated. “Still, the Lakers have a problem with their backcourt defense. Doncic and Reaves are great offensively, but neither is an elite perimeter defender, and paying both huge money means the rest of the roster has to cover for them.”
“I like Reaves a lot, and I think he’ll have another great season. But if he drops back to 20 points per game while the Lakers struggle to win playoff games, that new deal won’t look nearly as good as it does right now.”
As for Kessler, Leiva was a bit less optimistic. He played in just five games last season before the Lakers traded four first-round picks for him while giving the center a four-year, $130 million contract.
“I think the Lakers took an even bigger gamble with Kessler than they did with Reaves…That’s a ridiculous amount of draft capital for someone who’s never made an All-Star team, especially when he’s coming off a season where he barely played,” Leiva added.
Los Angeles needed a new defensive-minded center like Kessler, but based on what the team gave up, there’s a real chance he quickly becomes one of the more overrated assets, at least contract-wise, in the entire league.
“But here’s my problem with the contract: you can find centers who average 10 points and 10 rebounds without spending $130.0 million and four valuable draft assets.”
“I think Kessler has a pretty good chance to make an All-Defensive Team if he stays healthy, and that would make the trade look much better. But another injury-filled season would be a disaster, especially considering what the Lakers gave up to bring him in.”
Leiva wrote this article before the start of the NBA season, so though the Lakers have only played one game, the early returns on both Reaves and Kessler might give them a bit of job security based on how hot of a start they got off to.
How Did The Two Stars Play On Opening Night?
In what is positive news for everyone involved is that Reaves, and especially Kessler, looked very good to the regular season in the Lakers’ blowout win over the Golden State Warriors.
Reaves finished with 23 points, four rebounds, six assists, and two steals on 6/11 shooting in 32 minutes. Those were roughly his averages from last season, but in the first game of the year, when so many players are still shaking off the rust from the summer, it was a very solid showing for the star shooting guard.
As for Kessler, he ended the night with a historic performance. He recorded 26 points, nine rebounds, one assist, and two blocks on a perfect 12/12 shooting from the field.
According to Michael Duarte of the New York Post, Kessler hit two milestones for the Lakers in game one of the season.
“The 7-foot-2 center became just the second player in Lakers franchise history to make at least 12 field goals without missing, joining Wilt Chamberlain, who scored 34 points on 14-for-14 shooting in 1969,” he wrote. “His 10 dunks were the most by a Laker since (Shaquille) O’Neal himself in 2003, according to ESPN, and reportedly established an NBA play-by-play era record.”
Following the win, O’Neal dubbed Kessler ‘Milk Chamberlain,’ and just being in the conversation with two of the best centers in NBA history, it’s fair to say his Lakers’ tenure got off to a good start.
Still, as Leiva mentioned, the Lakers are paying a ton of money to Reaves and Kessler to be the supporting stars next to Doncic. It was a great first game, but the two will need to continue that success to avoid becoming bad contracts and potential trade candidates.
Lakers Dealt Troubling Austin Reaves, Walker Kessler Contract Updates