LeBron James might be gone from the Lakers, but that doesn’t mean player empowerment is over in Los Angeles.
Luka Dončić has had some things to say.
He’s reportedly been in “constant communication” with Lakers President of Basketball Operations Rob Pelinka this summer and has made it known he wants an A-list center.
The Lakers obliged and traded for Walker Kessler.
It cost Pelinka a King’s ransom to fulfill The Don’s request. Gone are LA’s two first-round picks in 2031 and 2033, and the Jazz can swap
firsts in 2028 and 2030. That’s the draft capital going to Utah, but Los Angeles still has to foot the bill. The Lakers agreed to a four-year, $130 million deal for Kessler, making him the third highest-paid player on the roster.
However, if Luka is the franchise, then making him happy is a top priority. According to Iztok Franko, a basketball reporter who has covered Luka for years, he wanted Kessler on the Lakers.
In Franko’s Substack article, he detailed why the price was worth it if it pleased Dončić.
The price the Lakers paid for Kessler was a steep one: unprotected first-round picks in 2031 and 2033, along with first-round swap rights in 2028 and 2030. It is comparable to, and in some cases exceeds, what other teams paid this summer for established stars like Jaylen Brown, LaMelo Ball, and Kawhi Leonard.
At the same time, there is a perfectly valid counterargument. If Kessler was the franchise center Dončić wanted so badly, and from the people I’ve spoken to I can confirm he pushed hard for this move, then perhaps that was simply the cost of doing business.
It’s not just that Luka wanted Kessler, the Lakers have been linked to him for quite some time.
And even long before Luka’s arrival, the Lakers have had a desperate need for a great center. Now, in theory, they have one.
So, yes, it may have been a slight overpay. And sure, it cost a ton of draft capital. But sometimes in life, when you really want something, you pay the price.
It’s why drinks at sporting events are so expensive, and the food at Disneyland costs far more than it takes to produce. But when you are enjoying that cold beverage and eating at the greatest place on earth, none of that seems to matter.
The joy of the moment gives one a dopamine hit money could never. And if Kessler makes Dončić happy, fuels him to become the best version of himself and brings the Lakers a title, the cost of this deal will be irrelevant.
Pelinka did his job. He got his star backcourt player the frontcourt partner he desired. Now it’s up to them to make it worth it.
You can follow Edwin on Twitter at @ECreates88 or on Bluesky at @ecreates88.bsky.social.
