The biggest addition the Los Angeles Lakers made to their roster this summer was Walker Kessler, the 7-foot-2 center who is known for blocking shots and gobbling up rebounds. But guard Collin Sexton is also slated to make a sizable impact on the team this coming season.
Sexton's ability to score and hit 3-pointers off the dribble, create additional transition opportunities with his speed, handle the ball and get others involved should add another dimension to the team's attack. He should also take some pressure off Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves by giving the Lakers another facilitator and scoring threat.
While speaking on ESPN L.A., Sexton said that Kessler will "have a huge impact" on the Lakers, and it won't only be on the defensive end.
“He
is going to have a huge impact, especially on the defensive end,” Sexton said in an interview with ESPN LA. “His presence, his rim protection and even just his offensive ability that he’s been working on this summer. I’m super excited for him and the opportunity and also just he’s one of my guys. He’s one of my guys, he’s from Atlanta. So, whenever I’ve been talking to him, even when he wasn’t on the same team, I just told him like, ‘I got your back,’ and next thing you hear, we’re here. So, it’s cool.”
Sexton and Kessler played together on the Utah Jazz for three seasons, so there should be some familiarity and possibly even some built-in chemistry between the two.
Sexton even feels optimistic about Kessler's offensive game, which isn't exactly seen as a strength for the big man.
“The 3-point shot, but also just finishing around the rim even better and a lot of post moves,” Sexton said about what Kessler has been working on offensively. “So, it’s cool. It’s cool to see that he used that break where he wasn’t playing all last season to really work on his game and develop it. So, I’m super excited for him and his growth and I can’t wait to be back on the court with him.”
Kessler played in just five games last season before undergoing surgery to fix a torn labrum in his shoulder. It was an injury that had lingered since his college days, and it shouldn't be a concern moving forward.
In his four NBA seasons, he has career averages of 9.5 points on 68.1% field-goal shooting, 9.3 rebounds and 2.4 blocks in 25.3 minutes a game. He could single-handedly improve a Lakers defense that was 20th in defensive rating last season while also making the team much better on both the defensive and offensive boards.
But if Kessler also develops a respectable 3-point shot (he made six of his eight attempts in five games last season) and even adds a bit of a low-post game, he could open up more possibilities for Los Angeles on the offensive end of the court.
This article originally appeared on LeBron Wire: Collin Sexton: Walker Kessler will 'have a huge impact' on the Lakers
