Walker Kessler trade grades: Lakers get Luka Dončić some young talent
Resolution has been reached in regard to the future of Walker Kessler, the 7-foot-2, 245-pound behemoth with game-changing defensive powers.
Kessler is now a Los Angeles Laker, joining Luka Dončić and Austin Reaves, after agreeing to a sign-and-trade with the Utah Jazz worth $130 million over four years.
Let's get down to the nuts and bolts of it.
The Los Angeles Lakers: Young center for Luka
To lock in Kessler, the Lakers relinquished a haul of draft picks.
Two unprotected first-round picks in 2031 and 2033 with swaps in 2028 and 2030 going to Utah.
The Lakers now get their center of the future, as well as a player who can finish lobs and become an all-around play finisher for Dončić and Reaves, who are at their best when creating with the ball in their hands.
It was a steep price, both in terms of draft capital and the contract, but this gives the Lakers a good chance to go far in the postseason.
Grade: A
The Utah Jazz: All about the draft picks
For Utah, this all seemed inevitable. Kessler and the Jazz never seemed to agree on their financial future together, and with the Jazz trading for Jaren Jackson Jr. before the deadline, those minutes at center were likely going to have to be shared.
Now, the Jazz can arm themselves with even more draft picks and lean into building their current roster, using those picks either through the draft or via the trade market.
It's still a considerable loss, especially since Jackson and Lauri Markkanen are both awful rebounders, but at least the organization secured Jusuf Nurkić's services, allowing him to swoop in to crash the glass.
Overall, this is a good haul. Both teams won.
Grade: A
