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When the Los Angeles Lakers brought in Walker Kessler on a four-year, $130 million sign-and-trade with the Utah Jazz, it was looked at as one of the biggest moves of the NBA offseason.
He led the league with 2.4 blocks per game during the 2024-25 season, along with 11.1 points and 12.2 rebounds, shooting 66.3% from the field, and he fits in perfectly as an elite rim protector and pick-and-roll lob threat catching passes from Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves.
But apparently, even with Kessler, Sandro Mamukelashvili, and Kevon Looney all signed in free agency, the Lakers aren’t done adding big men yet.
According to Dan Woike of The Athletic, Lakers team sources say the front office is still monitoring the market for frontcourt talent, even with Walker, Mamukelashvili, and Looney all already signed to new deals.
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So why keep hunting? Kessler is a 7-foot-2 monster in the paint, but limited offensively away from the basket. Looney is a 30-year-old, undersized center who averaged just 14.6 minutes per game last year. And Mamukelashvili is more of a stretch big who can log some minutes at the five, but isn’t a true starting-caliber center.
In the case that Kessler struggles, or reinjures the shoulder that limited him to just five games last season, the Lakers are probably looking for another reliable center who can provide valuable minutes when or if needed.
As for the names still out there, the pickings are slim compared to earlier in the summer. Jalen Duren remains the best true center on the market, but he’s a restricted free agent in the midst of a standoff with Detroit over max money, something the Lakers can’t offer.
Beyond Duren, you’re looking at players like Nick Richards, Dwight Powell, Maxi Kleber, Kelly Olynyk, Mason Plumlee, Christian Koloko, and Kevin Love. These are all veteran players who remain unsigned and who the Lakers could get on a minimum deal. But none of them are going to be massive difference-makers next season.
Another issue is that the Lakers roster is already at full capacity. So, if the Lakers really want to get another center capable of handling heavy minutes, the only realistic path runs through the trade market.
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