The Los Angeles Lakers are giving Walker Kessler a four-year, $130 million contract after agreeing a trade with the Utah Jazz.
Kessler, 24, will arrive in Los Angeles just as LeBron James prepares to depart, adding star power to the team following the legend's announcement. The Lakers are acquiring the 7-foot-2 center in exchange for unprotected first-round picks in 2031 and 2033, plus first-round pick swaps in 2028 and 2030, according to ESPN NBA insider Shams Charania.
Kessler had previously turned down a five-year, $140 million deal from the Jazz. He will now earn more in average annual value under the Lakers' four-year contract, which includes a player option for the fourth year and a full trade kicker, according to sources.
The trade comes 24 hours after LeBron James stunned the league by announcing he will leave the Lakers this summer, at age 41, to search for a new team.
LeBron's departure
James has told the Lakers he will compete elsewhere and that the franchise can move on without him, according to ESPN. A bidding war is expected for the 41-year-old's services in what could be his "last dance" in the 2026-27 season.
His exit also raises questions about the future of his son and Lakers teammate, Bronny James.
Lakers governor Jeanie Buss confirmed the move on social media, writing that LeBron James is one of the greatest athletes in history. She said the team would always be thankful for his eight years with the Lakers, including the title he led them to in 2020 under the toughest imaginable circumstances, and the countless records he broke in purple and gold. She wished him all the best on and off the court, adding that he will always be a cherished part of the Lakers family.
Kessler reacts to the news
Hours later, James responded with his own tweet, saying "No, THANK YOU! Truly a honor to wear the [purple and gold] while trying to continuing [sic] the greatness & legacies that came before me! Hope I made a few proud during my stint."
Kessler was spotted in Los Angeles on Tuesday, where TMZ asked him about the LeBron news minutes after it broke. He said he did see it, adding that LeBron is one of the greatest players of all time and would have been great to play with, but that they would just have to see what happens.
