LOS ANGELES — The Los Angeles Lakers are a franchise adorned in the bright lights, celebrities and stars. And with that comes pressure.
Plenty of players have come and gone with expectations of making an impact and results that left them estranged from the fanbase. This season, the Lakers are welcoming in a host of new additions, led by the likes of Walker Kessler, Quentin Grimes and Sandro Mamukelashvili.
Kessler, the biggest addition of them all, doesn’t look at the spotlight as added pressure, though.
“I think it’s more of an opportunity,” he said at Media Day on Monday. “To play for an historic franchise, to play for history like this, I don’t really feel pressure. I more so just feel grateful. Grateful for this opportunity and grateful to play for this franchise.”
If the proverbial pressure were on anyone the most, it’d be Kessler, for whom the Lakers traded two first-round picks to the Utah Jazz and are paying upwards of $130 million over the next four years. He comes in as the cornerstone big man alongside Luka Dončić and Austin Reaves. Dončić expressed his desire to play with Kessler on Monday as well.
Kessler comes from one of the smallest markets in the NBA. And from a team that, for the most part, wasn’t focused all that much on winning while he was there, which only amplifies the transition. Not only will more eyes be on him, they’ll also be quicker to scrutinize.
“I’m a big believer in ‘out of sight, out of mind,’” Kessler said. “Obviously [the] fanbase is incredible … but not to get too high when they sing (my) praises. Not to get too low when they’re upset about certain performances. So, for me, it’s best to just keep my nose to the grindstone and just keep working.”
Kessler’s frontcourt mate, Mamukelashvili, is also keenly aware of the grand stage he’s playing on now. Growing up in the country of Georgia, he recalls rarely being able to watch NBA games as a kid. Whenever he could catch one, it was always the Lakers.
Mamukelashvili, like Kessler and Grimes, signed a four-year deal this offseason. The NBA, for a subset of players, is mostly about making it to the next contract. The popular understanding is that with a longer-term deal comes stability, especially for a player like Mamukelashvili, who came into the league on a two-way contract.
He doesn’t agree with that.
“You can’t get comfortable,” he said. “I really mean it. I think the moment you get comfortable in this league is the moment you’re going to find yourself declining. To me, even though I signed a four-year deal, doesn’t mean (anything). I feel like I got to prove every game, every practice, every year.
“Of course it’s good to have years, but I just want to be the guy who doesn’t settle. I want to achieve something in my career. I want to win. I want to be a part of something great. So, to do that, you’ve got to always be on your toes. You got to always be aware of the situation you’re in. I think that’s what got me here.”
Grimes also signed a four-year deal, but unlike the two big men, has experience in a market the size of Los Angeles. He was drafted by the New York Knicks and played his last two seasons in Philadelphia. He admits that, despite the Lakers being a much bigger brand globally than the two franchises, Los Angeles is just a different beach.
“You’ve got to not worry about if you get good praise, bad praise,” Grimes said. “At the end of the day, I’m here to play basketball and I’m here to handle business every single day. You can’t get caught up in external noise. You’ve got our team — that’s the only noise we’re really worried about. Just keep the main thing the main thing and everything will be alright.”
Expectations can be tempered anytime. Anyone who plays for the Lakers is expected to win. Whether or not a player is able to handle the pressure is an entirely different thing. Talking the talk and walking the walk are different challenges.
For now, the newest Lakers look ready to step up to it.
You can follow Connor on Twitter at @cmorenoNBA.
