The Los Angeles Lakers remain firmly in the hunt for Walker Kessler, but landing the Utah Jazz center may prove far more expensive than initially expected.
The Athletic’s Tony Jones reported Tuesday that Kessler has already met with multiple teams and is headed to another free agency meeting while carrying several lucrative contract offers.
“Utah Jazz restricted free agent Walker Kessler has had meetings with a couple of teams and is headed to another meeting,” Jones wrote. “He holds multiple offers in the mid to high 30s annually, along with the structure of his choice, including player options.”
Shortly afterward, The Athletic’s Dan Woike confirmed the Lakers remain one of the teams actively pursuing the 24-year-old center.
“One of the teams with interest in Kessler, sources tell me, is the Los Angeles Lakers,” Woike wrote on X.
The latest reports underscore just how competitive the market has become for one of the NBA’s premier young defensive centers.
Lakers Continue Search for Luka Doncic’s Center
Getty Rui Hachimura of the Los Angeles Lakers drives past Walker Kessler of the Utah Jazz during the second half of a game at Delta Center on February 12, 2025 in Salt Lake City, Utah.
Los Angeles entered free agency determined to upgrade its frontcourt, and Kessler has long been viewed as one of the organization’s top targets.
Earlier Tuesday, Kessler arrived in Los Angeles for meetings with interested teams and hinted at his admiration for the Lakers’ young core.
Asked by TMZ Sports about the possibility of joining Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves, Kessler responded simply:
“Great players, too, man. No question.”
He also reacted to LeBron James‘ departure from Los Angeles, acknowledging that playing alongside the four-time NBA champion “would have been great” before adding, “We just gotta see what happens, man.”
The comments came just hours before his free agency meetings began.
LeBron’s Exit Gives Lakers Financial Flexibility
The Lakers’ pursuit of Kessler intensified after LeBron James informed the organization he would continue his career elsewhere, freeing up roughly $52 million in salary cap space.
That flexibility has positioned Los Angeles to aggressively pursue one of the top available centers as president of basketball operations Rob Pelinka continues building a roster around Doncic and Reaves.
Kessler fits the prototype the Lakers have been seeking.
The former first-round pick has developed into one of the NBA’s elite rim protectors while providing efficient finishing around the basket, making him an ideal pick-and-roll partner for Doncic.
Jazz May Have Created Their Own Challenge
Despite the Lakers’ interest, Utah still controls the process.
As a restricted free agent, Kessler can negotiate with rival teams, but the Jazz retain the right to match any offer sheet he signs.
Earlier this offseason, Utah reportedly offered Kessler a five-year, $140 million extension, an offer he declined before reaching free agency.
However, The Stein Line’s Jake Fischer reported Tuesday that Kessler’s willingness to test the market may have been avoidable.
Quoting The Athletic‘s report that Kessler has multiple offers worth the mid-to-high $30 million annually, Fischer wrote that Kessler had made it clear for more than a year that he wanted to remain in Utah long term and would have accepted a contract below his current market value.
According to Fischer, the Jazz never presented what Kessler’s camp viewed as a serious extension offer during rookie-scale negotiations last fall. He added that Utah’s recent proposal averaged roughly $27 million annually on a take-it-or-leave-it, five-year structure, a deal Kessler ultimately rejected.
Now, after multiple teams reportedly offered contracts in the mid-to-high $30 million range with more favorable terms, Utah could find itself paying a significantly steeper price to retain one of its cornerstone players.
The Jazz have since re-signed veteran center Jusuf Nurkić to a two-year, $22 million contract, but salary cap expert Yossi Gozlan noted the team still projects to sit roughly $38.5 million below the luxury tax, giving Utah ample flexibility to match any outside offer if it chooses.
Lakers Now Face Fierce Competition
Jones’ report makes clear that the Lakers are far from alone.
With multiple offers already reportedly in the mid-to-high $30 million annual range—and including favorable player-option structures—Kessler has quickly become one of the most coveted players on the free agent market.
For the Lakers, the challenge is no longer simply convincing Kessler that Los Angeles is the right basketball fit.
They now must present an offer compelling enough to beat a growing list of suitors while knowing the Jazz can ultimately match any deal.
The race to land the defensive anchor appears to be just getting started.
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