Lakers' Top Trade Target Reportedly Unavailable Before Deadline

The NBA trade deadline is officially a month away, and Lakers fans are desperately waiting for upgrades to their roster. The Los Angeles Lakers already acquired Dorian Finney-Smith in a trade with the Brooklyn Nets but they are still a work in progress to become a true title contender. They need more talent and depth in various positions but especially in the frontcourt.

That is why Walker Kessler of the Utah Jazz was widely speculated as one of the top trade targets for the Lakers. Utah is rebuilding and presumably interested in moving on from its valuable pieces for draft capital. Kessler, as a promising young center on a team-friendly contract, is the perfect fit on paper for the Lakers. It turns out, however, he may not be available.

Dan Woike of the Los Angeles Times recently reported that even though there are multiple teams interested in Kessler's services, he is not expected to be "available in any realistic trade scenarios".

"While teams have expressed interest in Utah center Walker Kessler — the Lakers included — the belief in NBA circles is that he’s not available in any realistic trade scenarios, Utah electing to keep one of the NBA’s top rim protectors through the deadline."

- Dan Woike, LA Times

This is a disappointing development for the Lakers who need to add another big man to bolster the rotation. A defensive anchor like Kessler could keep the Lakers' defense afloat when Anthony Davis sits while also being able to play together with AD in two big lineups.

Kessler is not the offensive force fellow potential trade target Jonas Valanciunas is but the Lakers should be more concerned about their defense. Valanciunas creates similar spacing concerns on offense without solving any of the defensive problems. The Lakers are the 12th-best offense in the NBA while having a bottom-ten defensive unit.

The Lakers will be hard-pressed to find a rim protector as good as Kessler on the market. So, they may need to trade for a lower-end backup center and use their draft capital to add more size and athleticism on the perimeter.

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