Lakers Rumors: D’Angelo Russell Trade Package Wouldn’t Interest Jazz in Kessler Talks | News, scores, highlights, stats and rumors

Despite the Los Angeles Lakers’ interest in Walker Kessler to give them a true center, they will need to improve their trade offer to the Utah Jazz if they want to make a deal work.

According to The Athletic’s Sam Amick and John Hollinger, a package headlined by D’Angelo Russell and several first-round picks “wouldn’t matter” for the Jazz.

While most of the attention for the Jazz during the offseason focused on the status of Lauri Markkanen, Kessler’s name surfaced as a potential trade candidate.

NBA insider Marc Stein reported on October 6 that the Jazz and New York Knicks were discussing a Kessler deal before the Karl-Anthony Towns trade fell through.

Talks between the two sides collapsed because New York would not meet Utah basketball operations CEO Danny Ainge’s demand for its protected 2025 first-round picks owed by the Washington Wizards and Detroit Pistons.

The Lakers’ formula for success so far this season under first-year head coach JJ Redick has been the inverse of how they played the past two years under Darvin Ham.

Ham’s teams were led by a strong defense and plenty of offense from their star players like Davis and LeBron James. The 2024-2025 team ranks eighth in offensive rating and 25th in defensive rating through five games.

One of the biggest changes appears to be Redick running the offense through Davis, which has been talked about within the Lakers for years.

Even though Davis will be the main big man in Los Angeles as long as he is healthy, the Lakers could use more size to compete with some of the bigger teams in the Western Conference.

Jaxson Hayes was a viable big man off the bench to start the season, but his track record in the NBA has been spotty.

Russell’s value is always difficult to determine. He appeared to be in line for a nice contract during the summer that might have been the best season of his career, but he decided to exercise his $18.7 million option to stay with the Lakers for another year.

Now that Russell is out of contract, he will once again be at the center of trade talks involving the Lakers as they try to find ways to strengthen their roster.

The center spot has been a question mark for the Lakers for some time. Even though Davis is the nominal starter at the position, he has previously stated that he doesn’t necessarily want to play center.

Perhaps the way Davis has performed so far in Redick’s system has convinced him otherwise, but any interest the Lakers have in Kessler at least indicates they are aware they need more center depth .