With teams like the Thunder and Spurs possessing dominant frontcourt players, it was clear obtaining a center was a high priority for Los Angeles.
They accomplished that goal by trading for Walker Kessler, who the Lakers reportedly feel will pair very well with Luka Dončić and Austin Reaves in this new era. While they got the blockbuster deal done, it was far from a foregone conclusion. Kessler was a restricted free agent, so the Jazz could’ve paid whatever it cost to keep him or simply refused to send him to the Lakers.
Considering how important it was to obtain a big, the Lakers had to have backup plans. In a recent article by Dan Woike in The Athletic, Mitchell Robinson may have been viewed by the team as Plan B.
Had it not been Kessler, the Lakers, according to team and league sources, would’ve likely tried to sign free agent center Mitchell Robinson, who left the New York Knicks to sign a three-year, $47.4 million deal with Boston.
Robinson was linked to the Lakers throughout the offseason. In fact, the Lakers were even reportedly interested in drafting Robinson had he fallen to them at No. 39 in the 2018 NBA Draft. So, it’s no surprise that after a season where he won a title with the Knicks and LA needed a productive center, they’d be interested in Robinson.
While Robinson is a fine player, he is definitely not at Kessler’s level. Last year, Robinson averaged 5.7 points and 8.8 rebounds per game. He’s a solid defender and an efficient scorer, shooting 72.3% from the field last season.
However, Kessler has far better production. During the 2024-25 season, Kessler averaged 11.1 points, 12.2 rebounds and 2.4 blocks per game.
Lakers President of Basketball Operations Rob Pelinka had to have backup plans in place in case the top option wasn’t acquirable. Luckily for them, things worked out.
The Lakers got Kessler, and Robinson ended up signing a three-year $47.4 million deal with the Celtics.
This was an interesting Plan B. Hopefully, Plan A works out even better.
You can follow Edwin on Twitter at @ECreates88or on Bluesky at @ecreates88.bsky.social.
Read the full article here