Auburn Professional Athletes

Walker Kessler Is the Centerpiece of the Lakers' New Era

Auburn's Walker Kessler isn't just on the Los Angeles Lakers — he's the foundation they're building around.

The 7-foot-2, 245-pound center was acquired from the Utah Jazz in a blockbuster sign-and-trade this offseason, with the Lakers surrendering significant assets to land him as a long-term cornerstone alongside Luka Doncic. After eight seasons and LeBron James' departure, L.A. didn't just turn the page — they blew up the book. Kessler is the boldest, most expensive bet in that rebuild.

The reaction has been polarizing. Critics have questioned whether he's worth the price, with the "all that for Walker Kessler?!" chorus making the rounds since the deal closed. But Lakers brass and head coach JJ Redick appear unmoved. According to reporting from Heavy Sports, Kessler is one of just three players — alongside Doncic and Austin Reaves — guaranteed major minutes in L.A.'s rotation next season. That's not a backup role. That's a franchise pillar.

Yahoo Sports describes Kessler as one of the NBA's elite rim protectors, a profile that fits neatly beside a primary creator like Doncic. The Lakers' blueprint is clear: Luka handles the ball, Kessler anchors the paint and protects the rim, Reaves spaces the floor. Whether that's a championship formula remains to be seen, but the front office clearly believes Kessler is worth betting on at 25 years old.

Depth behind him, however, remains a legitimate concern. Multiple Heavy Sports reports note that L.A. has been actively pursuing additional big men to back Kessler up, with trade discussions ongoing heading into the preseason window. The center position is a one-man show right now — and that's both a testament to Kessler's standing and a risk the Lakers are managing in real time.

Johni Broome's Clipper Tenure Already in Question

Across town, fellow Auburn alum Johni Broome finds himself in a murkier situation. The Clippers acquired Broome from the Philadelphia 76ers, but per Sports Illustrated, the deal's aftermath — tied to broader Kawhi Leonard trade fallout — has already generated speculation that Broome could be on the move again. The New York Knicks are reportedly among teams that may get a shot at the young center if the Clippers pivot further. Broome has yet to plant any roots in Los Angeles, and the NBA's trade market may uproot him before he gets the chance.

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Two Auburn big men, two very different stories heading into the 2026–27 season. Kessler is the rare college-to-pro pipeline product who didn't just crack a roster — he became the answer to a franchise's biggest question. Broome is still searching for his landing spot. For Auburn fans, Kessler's ascent is the headline. Whether Broome finds stability soon will be the subplot worth watching through the fall.

The Blockbuster

Walker Kessler is no longer a promising Jazz project. He's the face of the post-LeBron Lakers — and the most talked-about Auburn alumnus in the NBA this week.

The 24-year-old center landed in Los Angeles via a sign-and-trade from Utah, with the Lakers surrendering multiple first-round picks and handing Kessler a four-year deal worth roughly $130 million. The stakes couldn't be higher: with LeBron James gone, Kessler is being asked to anchor the frontcourt alongside Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves — not as a complementary piece, but as a cornerstone.

The early reviews from those who know championship basketball are encouraging. Seven-time NBA champion Robert Horry went on record calling Kessler "the key" to the Lakers' title hopes, listing him as a difference-maker for the 2026 season. Five-time champion Derek Fisher was similarly bullish, predicting that the Doncic-Reaves-Kessler trio should keep Los Angeles firmly in the playoff picture in the post-LeBron era.

Analysts at Yahoo Sports were even bolder, suggesting the Lakers' roster construction could make them a "regular-season wins machine" if Kessler develops into the high-level anchor the front office is betting on. There's even chatter about a potential All-Star nod if he fulfills that ceiling next to Doncic.

The Skeptics

Not everyone is buying in. A recent fan confidence survey showed Lakers supporters are lukewarm on the rebuild, with Kessler's injury history cited as a central concern — he appeared in just five games last season. The pressure of replacing LeBron's gravitational pull on a roster isn't lost on critics, and at least one outlet labeled the Lakers among the teams that "blew it" this offseason.

Kessler himself has addressed the lost season directly, telling Sports Illustrated he "sees the game differently" after his lengthy recovery. Whether that maturity translates on the floor remains the defining question of his young career.

The Lakers are still working to shore up frontcourt depth behind him, with a backup big man search ongoing and speculation about additional trade targets swirling. Kessler's durability, not his talent, is the variable that determines whether this gamble pays off.

The Auburn Angle

Kessler's rise gives Auburn fans a genuine franchise centerpiece to follow in the world's most scrutinized basketball market. He's the lead story, but he's not alone — nine other Tigers are active across the league heading into the 2026-27 season, with Jabari Smith (Rockets), Isaac Okoro (Bulls), and Johni Broome (Clippers) among those carving out NBA roles.

But this week belongs to Kessler. The Auburn product who once patrolled the paint in Neville Arena is now the man tasked with keeping Laker Nation relevant in the wilderness after the greatest player of his generation walked out the door. Big shoes. Big contract. Big moment.

War Eagle.

Walker Kessler arrived in Hollywood this offseason carrying the weight of a franchise's title hopes — and the Auburn faithful couldn't be more invested in watching him carry it.

The former Tiger is the centerpiece of the Los Angeles Lakers' most aggressive offseason in years, acquired in a blockbuster trade to anchor the frontcourt alongside superstar point guard Luka Doncic. With LeBron James gone and a new era fully underway, L.A. didn't just add Kessler — it built around him.

The Trade That Defined the Offseason

The Lakers surrendered significant future assets to land Kessler, a price that raised eyebrows around the league. But according to The Sporting News, the move may have saved the franchise from a far more painful outcome: the alternative path — pursuing another frontcourt option — carried a potential $78 million liability in the free agency market this cycle. In that framing, overpaying for Kessler starts to look like a bargain.

He's already locked into the starting lineup. Per Heavy Sports, L.A. currently projects four rotation locks heading into training camp: Doncic, Austin Reaves, Quentin Grimes, and Kessler himself. The Auburn center is the only true big on that list — the load-bearing pillar of a defense that needs him to protect the rim while Doncic orchestrates on the other end.

Dirk Nowitzki, Doncic's longtime mentor, has weighed in ahead of training camp, offering a bold endorsement of where Luka's career is headed in Los Angeles. That kind of external validation adds to the weight Kessler is stepping into — this isn't a rebuilding project. The Lakers intend to compete for a title, and Kessler is expected to be a reason why.

Still Work to Do

The picture isn't entirely clean. Heavy Sports reports the Lakers have spent all summer trying to move a struggling $26 million forward, a roster inefficiency that has gone unresolved as training camp approaches. The team also missed out on Jonathan Kuminga, their preferred wing target, who ultimately signed with Minnesota. L.A. has since shifted focus to the trade market, with a $150 million Knicks star identified as the "ideal" target to complete the rotation.

The unfinished business doesn't diminish Kessler's role — it underscores it. Whatever pieces still need to fall into place, the Auburn center is the one constant in every version of the Lakers' projected lineup.

The 2K Tax

There's one minor indignity Kessler will have to play through: his NBA 2K27 rating. ClutchPoints flagged the Auburn alum as one of three Lakers whose in-game ratings are widely expected to need a significant upgrade once the season tips off. For a player being asked to anchor a championship contender, the algorithm hasn't caught up to the moment yet.

The real games start soon enough — and Kessler will have his chance to make the case in person.