Walker Kessler didn’t exactly sound like a guy who had been tracking the NBA blocks leaderboard closely.
After the Los Angeles Lakers big man was told he ranked third in blocks per game, his reaction came fast and honest: “Third? I know Wemby's ahead of me; who else is ahead of me?”
The answer, as it turns out, is Myles Turner and Victor Wembanyama. Turner is averaging 2.8 blocks per game, Wembanyama is at 4.5, and Kessler sits right behind them at 2.7. He has 24 total blocks on the season.
That kind of rim protection has been a big part of why Kessler has been such a difference-maker for Los Angeles early on. The Lakers brought him in to reshape a frontcourt that had been lacking since Luka Doncic arrived in Los Angeles, and the move has paid off quickly.
Against the Kings, Kessler posted 15 points, eight rebounds, three steals and four blocks. The rebounding line wasn’t his strongest showing, but the shot-blocking was right on brand.
So far this season, Kessler has been the Lakers’ third-best player. He’s averaging 14.4 points, 10.2 rebounds, 1.1 assists and 2.7 blocks per game while shooting 71.8% from the field. His +8.1 average would be a career high.
The 25-year-old has given the Lakers exactly what they needed in the middle. He’s been the anchor on defense, and on offense he’s become a real problem as a pick-and-roll partner and lob threat for Doncic.
At 7-foot-2, Kessler gives Los Angeles a target it can’t ignore. When he rolls hard to the rim, he puts real pressure on the defense, and when teams trap or blitz Doncic, Kessler’s presence helps create clean looks for shooters in the corners.
He has already played more games this season than he did last season, and the Lakers big man appears set to keep growing as he builds chemistry with Doncic and the rest of the roster.
In Other News...
Lakers Added A New Big With One Job Fans Will Notice
The Lakers made a quiet frontcourt addition by bringing in center Lawson Lovering on a two-way contract, a move that opened a roster spot after forward AK Okereke was waived. Lovering arrives with a resume that includes two NBA appearances with the Memphis Grizzlies, plus plenty of time in the G League and college basketball, and he is already framing his job in simple terms: help on defense, clean the glass and do the dirty work around the edges.
For a team always searching for size it can trust, that kind of role can matter more than flash. Lovering is not being asked to come in and carry an offense, and his path to minutes will likely be built on screens, physicality and the little things that support everyone else around him. The real question now is how quickly the Lakers can turn that straightforward skill set into something useful when the roster starts to get tested. [Read more 🡒]
Bronny James Just Hit A Tough Point In The Lakers Plan
Bronny James is back in the developmental lane for now, with the Lakers sending him to their G-League affiliate as South Bay gets ready to open its season. The move comes after a brief NBA stretch in which he appeared in five games and had a limited impact, a reminder that the Lakers are still trying to balance his long-term growth with the realities of a roster that has already been shuffled around.
For Bronny, the assignment is less a verdict than a checkpoint, but it does underline how unsettled his path remains. The Lakers have made room for other players while he continues to work in the G-League, and his next step will depend on how quickly he can turn that development time into something the team can trust at the NBA level. [Read more 🡒]
Lakers Face One Big Rotation Question With First Place At Stake
The Lakers head into a Western Conference matchup with Portland carrying a familiar mix of availability questions, and the timing could hardly be more important. With first place in the standings on the line, Los Angeles is trying to sort out its rotation while already being without Cameron Carr and Bronny James, leaving the coaching staff to balance stability and flexibility against a short turnaround and a meaningful game.
Portland comes in shorthanded as well, missing Ja Morant, Shaedon Sharpe, John Tonje and Vit Krejci, so the injury report is shaping the night as much as the matchup itself. For the Lakers, the bigger swing may come from the frontcourt picture, where one key big man is available after dealing with a recent hand issue, while another remains in question as the team waits to see how the final pregame decisions shake out. [Read more 🡒]