How the Jazz Extracted So Much Draft Capital From Lakers for Walker Kessler

The Utah Jazz added to their chest of draft assets in a big way with their Walker Kessler sign-and-trade deal with the Los Angeles Lakers.

In exchange for their restricted free agent big man, the Jazz brought in two first round picks, two pick swaps, and got out of paying Kessler his $130 million contract that he'll be receiving for the next four seasons.

But how did the Jazz manage to land such an unprecedented package from the Lakers that included their draft rights for four of the next seven years?

The turnout for Utah's hefty return actually seems to have stemmed from the Lakers' Luka Doncic trade from a little over a year ago.

How the Luka Doncic Trade Helped the Jazz Cash In on Walker Kessler

According to Marc Stein on The Stein Line, the Lakers were so aggressive in their efforts to land Kessler largely because of how little they were able to acquire Doncic for in their trade deadline deal in 2025––which only resulted in them parting ways within one first-round pick along with Anthony Davis and Max Christie.

"I'm told that the Lakers were emboldened to go to such lengths to acquire Kessler in large part because they acquired Luka Dončić from Dallas on such favorable terms in February 2025," Stein wrote.

"The trade assets preserved in that heist, in other words, helped nudge the Lakers to a place where they believed they could withstand spending so big on Kessler.... The Lakers are thus convinced that, pricey as it was to pull off, they have duly delivered the best two-way big manDončić will have played with through his first nine NBA seasons."

While the logic behind the Lakers' decision could be questionable from their perspective, it does at least make some sense as to why they were so willing to add multiple firsts and swaps to land Kessler.

The Lakers had the flexibility on hand to do so that they wouldn't otherwise have if Doncic had truly been acquired a package that made sense for the talent he brings to the table. Los Angeles capitalized on the Mavericks' desires and gave them more draft picks to work with to bring in someone like Kessler.

Dec 18, 2025; Salt Lake City, Utah, USA; Los Angeles Lakers forward/guard Luka Doncic (77) dribbles during the first quarter against the Utah Jazz at Delta Center. Mandatory Credit: Chris Nicoll-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The Lakers' decision to bring in Kessler also comes with the added responsibility they felt to provide their superstar in Doncic with a strong, starting-level big man that can boost his own abilities, while filling their glaring need at the five. That's why, by most accounts, Kessler was their No. 1 free agent target of the summer.

Clearly, the Jazz were willing to allow them to let the Lakers have him, only for a hefty price. Most signs leading up to free agency hinted that Utah wanted to keep Kessler onboard, and they'd match any offer sheet that was presented to him that he accepted.

However, Los Angeles was one of the few, and perhaps the only team, to do meet the Jazz's asking price in a sign-and-trade, which led to the deal coming to fruition, and Utah parting ways with their young defensive anchor to reload for the foreseeable future.

So really, the Jazz should be thanking the Mavericks' previous front office leadership for allowing them to boost their future set of assets. Because without that Doncic deal, and the favorable package that the Lakers were able to part ways with to get him, Utah's future might not be looking as bright as it does right now.

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