Latest news with #Kessler

Lakers have reportedly made a trade offer for Walker Kessler

USA Today

2 hours ago

Sport
USA Today

Lakers have reportedly made a trade offer for Walker Kessler

Lakers have reportedly made a trade offer for Walker Kessler Just days from now, NBA teams will start signing free agents and making trades in preparation for the 2025-26 season. The Los Angeles Lakers are expected to be active, if not successful, on both the trade and free agent markets as they look to plug the holes on the roster. The biggest hole they need to plug is at the center position, where they had to try to get by with Jaxson Hayes, who may only be deserving of being a third-stringer on a championship team, as their starting 5. A few different big men have been linked to them, including Walker Kessler of the Utah Jazz, a player they have reportedly been interested in for a while. Andy Larsen, a beat writer who covers the Jazz, said on the "Locked on Jazz" podcast that he thinks Los Angeles has made a trade offer for Kessler. 'I think there's been an offer presented for Walker Kessler. And, certainly the Lakers have shown significant interest all the way back to the deadline, certainly continuing now. And him being their future of the center, giving up multiple picks to get there, that is on the table right now. I don't know if the Jazz take it. Certainly, they haven't so far.' Larsen later made it clear on social media that there are no serious trade talks going on between the two teams, at least as far as he knows. According to Larsen, the Lakers have also talked to the Jazz about John Collins, a productive forward who averaged 19.0 points and 8.2 rebounds a game and shot 39.9% from 3-point range this season. Kessler seems to be the type of young, defensive-minded center who would be ideal for Los Angeles. He averaged 11.1 points, 12.2 rebounds and 2.4 blocks per game this season, and while he isn't the most athletic big man around, he is capable of being a lob threat, which is something that would benefit Luka Doncic. Kessler will make just $4.9 million next season in the final year of his contract, so it would probably take plenty of draft compensation for any team to land him.

Wall Street Journal

10 hours ago

General
Wall Street Journal

Trust in God, Check the Rest

Andy Kessler's excellent column 'Can You Trust Anybody?' (Inside View, June 9) reminds me of a maxim that an early and important mentor instilled in me: 'In God we trust, everyone else we check.' Ronald Reagan, I'm sure, would approve. Bill Heitz

2025 Nottingham Open: Kessler [42nd] vs. Zhu [309th] Prediction, Odds and Match Preview

USA Today

2 days ago

Sport
USA Today

2025 Nottingham Open: Kessler [42nd] vs. Zhu [309th] Prediction, Odds and Match Preview

2025 Nottingham Open: Kessler [42nd] vs. Zhu [309th] Prediction, Odds and Match Preview In the Round of 16 at the Nottingham Open on Thursday, Lin Zhu (ranked No. 309) faces McCartney Kessler (No. 42). Kessler is favored (-375) to get to the quarterfinals compared to the underdog Zhu (+270). Tennis odds courtesy of BetMGM Sportsbook. Odds updated Wednesday at 2:39 AM ET. For a full list of sports betting odds, access USA TODAY Sports Betting Scores Odds Hub. McCartney Kessler vs. Lin Zhu matchup info Tournament: Nottingham Open Nottingham Open Round: Round of 16 Round of 16 Date: Thursday, June 19 Thursday, June 19 Court Surface: Grass Watch the Tennis Channel and more sports on Fubo! Kessler vs. Zhu Prediction Based on the implied probility from the moneyline, Kessler has a 78.9% to win. Kessler vs. Zhu Betting Odds Kessler's odds to win match: -375 -375 Zhu's odds to win match: +270 +270 Kessler's odds to win tournament: +900 +900 Zhu's odds to win tournament: +2500 Kessler vs. Zhu matchup performance & stats Kessler is 4-2 on grass over the past 12 months. On grass, Kessler has won 68.0% of her service games and 34.7% of her return games over the past 12 months. On grass over the past year, Kessler has converted 26 of 57 break points (45.6%). Kessler was defeated in the Round of 16 of her last tournament (the LTA London Championships) 3-6, 6-4, 5-7 by No. 5-ranked Qinwen Zheng on June 12. The 31-year-old Zhu, who is looking for her first tournament victory on grass in 2025, is 3-2 over the past 12 months on that surface. Zhu is 37-for-55 in service games on grass (winning 67.3%) and 23-for-53 in return games (43.4%). On grass Zhu is 46th in break point win percentage (39.3%) after going 22-for-56. On January 25, Zhu was defeated by No. 105-ranked Maya Joint, 6-4, 3-6, 0-2, in the Qualification Final of her most recent tournament, the Singapore Open.

NBA Insider Reveals Potential Lakers Trade Package For Walker Kessler

Yahoo

2 days ago

Sport
Yahoo

NBA Insider Reveals Potential Lakers Trade Package For Walker Kessler

NBA Insider Reveals Potential Lakers Trade Package For Walker Kessler originally appeared on Fadeaway World. Walker Kessler has been linked to the Los Angeles Lakers for years, but the Utah Jazz had never been all too keen to part with their young center. That stance appears to have changed this offseason, and Lakers insider Dave McMenamin reported on The Drive With Spence Checkers that the team still has an interest in the big man. Advertisement "Walker Kessler remains a name that the Lakers are intrigued by," McMenamin said. "Whether that would lead to any sort of deal? Obviously, last year, the asking price was too steep and, obviously the Lakers ended up pivoting those assets that they were considering moving to the Jazz to get Kessler in order to do the Luka trade. "That came off the table after the Luka trade," McMenamin continued. "But if they do revisit it, that remains a player that the Lakers feel could fit the void that they have at center. Again, I'm not reporting anything's moving towards or picking up steam or anything like that, but Kessler remains on the Lakers radar.' Kessler averaged 11.1 points, 12.2 rebounds, 1.7 assists, 0.6 steals, and 2.4 blocks per game for the Jazz in 2024-25. The 23-year-old would be a great addition to the Lakers and would solve their biggest problem from this past season, which was the center spot. Host Spence Checkers followed up by asking McMenamin what kind of package the Lakers could put on the table for Kessler. Advertisement "They do have a 2031 first-round draft pick they could trade and then Dalton Knecht, who had a really good first half of the season and then not so great second [half]," McMenamin stated. "Looked more like a rookie in the second half of the season and really wasn't trusted by JJ Redick in the high-leverage moments in the playoffs. "However, he's a guy who can put up numbers," McMenamin added. "... There's no delicate way to say this, could become a fan favorite in Utah as a high-scoring white guy. There could be some sort of package to be had around that." It was a rollercoaster of a rookie season for Dalton Knecht after the Lakers selected him with the 17th pick of the 2024 NBA Draft. He started off fairly well, averaging 12.2 points in his first 19 games while shooting 43.9% from beyond the arc. Knecht then hit the rookie wall in December 2024, averaging 6.8 points on 15.6% shooting from beyond the arc in the month. He would see his playing time reduce steadily from then on. Advertisement Knecht did actually manage to rediscover his shooting touch at the end of the regular season, shooting 42.0% from three in March and 45.5% in April. As McMenamin stated, though, head coach JJ Redick had lost trust in him by that point. In the Lakers' first-round series loss to the Minnesota Timberwolves, Knecht featured in just two of the five games and played under four minutes combined. The 24-year-old's trade value isn't sky-high at the moment, but he did show enough as a rookie to make you believe he can be a very good role player in the NBA. Would a deal centered around Knecht and the 2031 first-round pick be enough for Kessler? It seems unlikely. McMenamin added that the Lakers would be willing to part with the likes of Gabe Vincent and Jarred Vanderbilt as well, but you'd think there would be teams around the league that can offer a better package for Kessler. Related: NBA Insider Reveals Four Most Tradeable Lakers Players In This Offseason This story was originally reported by Fadeaway World on Jun 16, 2025, where it first appeared.

Lakers Insider Opens Door on Potential Walker Kessler Trade

Newsweek

5 days ago

Sport
Newsweek

Lakers Insider Opens Door on Potential Walker Kessler Trade

Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. The Los Angeles Lakers desperately need a center as the team enters the upcoming NBA offseason. After being exposed in the playoffs by the Minnesota Timberwolves, the Lakers' front office understands the top priority for the summer. Los Angeles has been linked with multiple players ahead of the offseason, but there remains one perfect match. That would be center Walker Kessler from the Utah Jazz. The Lakers have tried to land Kessler from Utah multiple times before, but they have been shot down each time. However, Kessler is now eligible for a contract extension this summer, and whether Utah wants to pay him remains unknown. According to Lakers insider Dave McMenamin of ESPN, Los Angeles remains very interested in going after Kessler. The Lakers could look to re-engage with the Jazz this summer on a potential deal. "Walker Kessler remains a name that the Lakers are intrigued remains a player that the Lakers feel could fill the void that they have at center." "Walker Kessler remains a name that the Lakers are intrigued remains a player that the Lakers feel could fill the void that they have at center." Deal could be centered around Knecht/2031 first, if it happens. (@mcten)#LakeShow — 🎗NBA•Fan🎗 (@Klutch_23) June 15, 2025 This article will be updated...