Lakers' Playoff Exit May Spark Trade Buzz for Jazz's Walker Kessler

With their game five loss to the Minnesota Timberwolves officially in the books, the Los Angeles Lakers are officially eliminated from this year's postseason, now entering a critical offseason bound to be filled with an assortment of rumors, buzz, and chatter of how this roster could improve for the year ahead.

So, pretty much every Lakers offseason.

However, this time around, one major emphasis for Los Angeles will inevitably focus on one major position of need: center.

After their seismic trade deadline shifts to land Luka Doncic, ship off Anthony Davis, and a nixed Mark Williams trade, the Lakers were left with a massive hole at their five spot down the stretch of the season–– especially so in the postseason against the Timberwolves.

Now out of the postseason in five games despite holding home court advantage, all eyes look to Rob Pelinka and the front office to see who they could land to address those needs.

And while it may be a concept too good to be true for Los Angeles, don't be shocked to see Utah Jazz center Walker Kessler included in some trade buzz with the Lakers later this summer, who was a frequent name linked to LA during February's deadline.

The Lakers’ next big move will be finding a game-changing center.

Following the vetoed trade for Mark Williams, one name to closely monitor as a top target is Walker Kessler.

The Jazz have continuously said Kessler isn’t available, but the Lakers have coveted him for awhile. pic.twitter.com/CXD1UVMkav
— Evan Sidery (@esidery) May 1, 2025

Kessler comes off a career-best season in Utah, averaging his highest mark in points, rebounds, and assists, cementing himself as a five-man and defensive cornerstone of the future for the Jazz. At 23 years old with budding potential, it would be a tall task to pry his services away from Danny Ainge.

But for a team as aggressive as the Lakers have to be in their attempt to add a rock-solid defensive five, it might not stop their front office from trying their hardest.

Any deal with Los Angeles would likely have to include some steep, unprotected draft capital in the future, and perhaps an appealing rotational player to include as well to truly sweeten the pot. And that's if the Jazz were truly open to shipping out a promising young player like Kessler.

Instead of a Kessler trade, the Jazz could decide to ink their young big man to a long-term rookie extension this summer, and keep him in the fold as a building block for the foreseeable future. And odds are, that's the most probable outcome to transpire, but as always, anything's possible in the NBA.

For Utah to make the drastic move and part ways with Kessler would have to come with a genuinely impressive package that truly wows the Jazz brass enough to confidently pull the trigger and punt on one of the best young players in their rebuild. It remains to be seen if the Lakers will be able to do so, but expect them to try their best to make the pairing come to reality.

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