NBA Trade Rumors: Lakers' Pathway to Land Walker Kessler Amid Jazz's High Asking Price Explained

The LA Lakers' need for a center is well-known across the league, and so is their interest in Walker Kessler, which dates back to last offseason. As NBA trade rumors intensify surrounding the Utah Jazz and their interest in selling high on prospects like Lauri Markkanen and Kessler, fans are firing up their trade machines for a potential pathway to make deals happen.

Kessler, in particular, had a massive following among Laker nation even before they acquired Luka Doncic. His ceiling is as good as any young center in the NBA because of his finishing ability at the rim and shot-blocking ability. With a 7-foot and 245 lbs frame, Kessler poses a significant challenge for opposing bigs.

He averaged 11.1 points, 12.2 rebounds and 2.4 blocks last year, shooting 66.3%. Only 23, the former first-round pick has tremendous value in the market. According to insider Jovan Buha, the starting price for Kessler held the same value as more than two first-round picks.

The Lakers ultimately held on to their draft capital and used one of their two picks on Doncic. With LA's interest in Kessler likely to reignite, Buha explained that a three-team trade might be the best pathway for the Lakers to convince the Jazz.

Here's what Buha said on his podcast, "Buha's Block," in Monday's episode:

"Maybe a team's really high on Rui [Hachimura] or Gabe [Vincent] or Maxi Kleber as an expiring to get off some money, they send that [an asset] to the Lakers and they send an extra asset to Utah, I think that could be a potential framework of a deal."

(7:33)

Buha's hypothetical potentially relies on the Lakers getting a pick for Hachimura, Vincent, or Kleber's expiring deals, which they can use to acquire Kessler in a three-team trade, matching Utah's potential asking price.

However, as Buha mentioned, the interest in either of these three players needs to be high from a third team to make a deal happen.

Walker Kessler would solve a significant number of issues for the Lakers, including opening their NTMLE

The Lakers adding Walker Kessler would be a marquee move, which helps them long-term and immediately, but not just on the court. Kessler will make $4.8 million next year. With the Lakers unlikely to land him a straight swap, if they can shed the salaries of Hachimura, Vincent and Kleber's salaries in a three-team trade, it will open LA's non-taxpayer midlevel exception worth $14.1 million, significantly higher than the taxpayer midlevel exception worth $5.7 million.

It will allow the Lakers to add slightly expensive free agents. They can use the entire exception on one player or use portions of it to sign multiple players and bolster their bench. It's the ideal scenario for the team, considering Hachimura, Vincent and Kleber are occupying roughly $30 million in cap space and are expendable, with LA boasting multiple players in their positions.