LA Lakers star Luka Doncic has openly clamored for a center that he can throw lobs to, so GM Rob Pelinka swung a trade to get Walker Kessler. While the 24-year-old, former Utah Jazz big man has a promising future, not all NBA executives were impressed with Pelinka’s move.
On Friday’s episode of “The Hoop Collective,” insider Vince Goodwill shared an executive’s reaction to the Kessler trade, which saw the Lakers give up unprotected first-round picks in 2031 and 2033, along with first-round pick swaps in 2028 and 2030.
“A GM told me, is Rob Pelinka trying to get fired?”
Meanwhile, “Hoop Collective” host Brian Windhorst and mainstay Tim MacMahon argued that Pelinka may have bought himself some time by bringing Kessler to the Lakers. MacMahon went so far as to say that the Lakers would have had a “massive five-alarm fire” on their hands if Pelinka hadn’t orchestrated this deal.
For months, Kessler has been linked to the Lakers as the purple and gold squad continued to search for ways to fine-tune their frontcourt. Kessler, who won All-Rookie First Team honors three years ago, averaged a double-double for the first time in his career during the 2024-25 season (11.1 ppg, 12.2 rpg).
Kessler played just five games this past season before getting shut down due to a left shoulder tear. Though the 7-foot-2 center out of Auburn has a high ceiling, his health issues are a major concern heading into his stint with the Lakers.
Rob Pelinka Continues to Retool Lakers Roster by Trading 7-Foot Center to Wizards
Though Rob Pelinka has his fair share of detractors, he has remained busy this offseason, retooling the Lakers’ roster in their post-LeBron James era.
On Friday, ESPN’s Shams Charania reported that the Lakers had dealt 7-foot center Deandre Ayton to the Washington Wizards. In exchange, the Lakers will be getting guard Jaden Hardy and the Wizards’ second-round picks in 2031 and 2032.
This past week, Jaxson Hayes also departed the Lakers to sign with the Utah Jazz. Meanwhile, Pelinka has restocked the Lakers’ frontline with Kessler and 6-foot-9 Sandro Mamukelashvili, who averaged 11.2 points per game on 39% shooting from deep with the Toronto Raptors last season.
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