Lakers Acquire Kessler From Jazz for Two First-Round Picks
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- Lakers are acquiring center Walker Kessler from the Utah Jazz in a trade involving unprotected first-round picks in 2031 and 2033 along with first-round swaps in 2028 and 2030.
- Jazz receive two unprotected first-round picks and two first-round swaps — a haul heavy on future draft capital, per ESPN sources.
- Lakers are signing free agents Sandro Mamukelashvili, Quentin Grimes, and Collin Sexton as part of the same transaction window.
- CBS Sports graded the deal a C+ for Los Angeles, calling it a 'massive, albeit necessary, overpay' while praising the Jazz for 'playing it perfectly.'
Why it matters: The Lakers surrender two unprotected first-rounders plus two swaps for a young center, a price CBS Sports flagged as a steep overpay even as necessary for a roster that needed frontcourt help. Utah lands premium future draft capital — two unprotected picks stretching to 2033 — setting up a long runway for a rebuild.
