A Western Conference scout told The Athletic’s Dan Woike before the Lakers open against Golden State that “Their season hinges on Walker Kessler,” adding: “One, he has to be healthy. And then two, he has to be good.”
The scout is right, but those two conditions don’t carry equal weight. The evidence so far says the first one matters much more.
Kessler Is the Only Center This Roster Is Built Around
The case for the scout starts with the roster. LeBron James left in free agency to join the Philadelphia 76ers, and Deandre Ayton, Jaxson Hayes and Rui Hachimura went out with him.
The Lakers rebuilt around Dončić, Reaves and Kessler. Kessler is the one whose minutes nobody else on the roster is equipped to absorb.
The price shows how much they’re counting on him. The Lakers gave up unprotected first-round picks in 2031 and 2033, as well as first-round swaps in 2028 and 2030, plus a four-year, $130 million contract.
According to Yahoo Sports, Dončić made it clear to the team he wanted Kessler as the rim-protecting, rim-running center he thrives alongside. Kessler isn’t a role player the Lakers added at the margins. He’s the main thing they built this season around.
The track record backs up the idea. He averaged 2.4 blocks per game in both 2023-24 and 2024-25, and 12.2 rebounds per game in 2024-25.
In his preseason debut, the Lakers outscored the Warriors by 15 in his 16 minutes on the court. In the 32 minutes he wasn’t, Golden State outscored L.A. by 27.
Dončić Still Sets the Ceiling, and Kessler Isn’t a Finished Anchor
The best argument against the scout is that “hinges” gives too much weight to a center who has never carried this kind of load. Redick said so himself: “He’s never really been tasked with being the anchor of a defense.”
Kessler’s career line in Utah was 9.5 points, 9.3 rebounds and 2.4 blocks in 25.3 minutes over 201 games. That’s a very good role player’s résumé, not proof that he can carry a defense on his own.
The perimeter is a problem no center can fully fix. A scout who spoke to Sports Illustrated said Kessler is not a great all-around defender, but he can protect the rim.
Opponents will still attack Dončić and Reaves on the perimeter. On that reading, the team’s results depend on the guards and on Dončić first, with Kessler second.
That argument is fair, but it’s the weaker one. It describes where the ceiling is. The scout’s point is about where the floor is, and that is where Kessler matters.
The Lakers Need Him on the Court More Than They Need Him to Be Great
The Lakers’ season depends on Kessler, but mostly because of how much he can play rather than how high his ceiling is. The +15/-27 split from his debut isn’t a verdict on his talent after 16 minutes. It shows how thin the roster behind him is.
Redick pointed to the rebounding: “They had two offensive rebounds at halftime and they had 13 in the second half.” Kessler sat the whole second half.
The front office knows this. Woike reported that the Lakers have made calls to canvass the league for a backup center, but that the asking price has been steep, and that they want someone more dynamic in case they have to play a stretch without Kessler. Kevon Looney is the current answer.
The health history makes that the real risk. Kessler has mustered just 63 games over the last two seasons—including a mere five last year due to a season-ending left shoulder injury.
A jammed pinky in camp then sidelined him for the Lakers’ first three preseason games. His two exhibition appearances weren’t uniformly sharp, either: against Denver he finished with six points, six rebounds, four assists and two blocks in 31 minutes, shooting 2-of-8.
Two preseason games and 47 minutes don’t settle anything. What they do show is that Kessler doesn’t have to be an All-Defensive player for the Lakers to contend. He has to stay on the court, because the team falls apart when he’s off it.
Two things would change this read. If the Lakers find a real backup center, Kessler becomes a strong starter they can survive without.
If he plays 25 games and the defense still leaks with him on the floor, the problem was never just availability, and the scout’s second condition becomes the one to worry about.
Source: Dan Woike of The Athletic
Leave a Reply