Los Angeles Lakers acquire center Walker Kessler in sign‑and‑trade with Utah Jazz

The Los Angeles Lakers completed a sign‑and‑trade for Utah Jazz center Walker Kessler, signing him to a four‑year, $130 million contract. In exchange, the Lakers sent two unprotected first‑round picks (2031 and 2033) and granted the Jazz first‑round pick swap rights for 2028 and 2030. The move fulfills the Lakers’ long‑standing need for a rim‑protecting big man and adds Kessler to a roster built around Luka Dončić and Austin Reaves.

Alongside Kessler, the Lakers also secured forward‑center Sandro Mamukelashvili (four‑year, $52 million), guard Quentin Grimes (four‑year, $60 million) and guard Collin Sexton (two‑year, $19 million), while Deandre Ayton exercised his player option. The package drives the franchise’s long‑term payroll to roughly $475 million and leaves it without a tradable first‑round pick through 2033, limiting future draft flexibility.

The Jazz used the acquired assets to add depth, signing former Lakers center Jaxson Hayes to a two‑year, $12 million deal with a team option. The move follows the Jazz’s earlier signing of Jusuf Nurkic and reflects their strategy to rebuild while retaining flexibility.