The Lakers did not bring Walker Kessler in to wait around for a spotlight. They brought him in because they believe he can already help them, and because they think there is still more to unlock.
That is what makes Tuesday’s trip to Utah more than a reunion. It is the Lakers’ first road game of the season, and it comes against the Jazz team that traded Kessler away in the offseason sign-and-trade. For Kessler, it is the first time he will face the franchise that drafted him, developed him and then moved on from him. For the Lakers, it is an early chance to see whether their confidence in his upside looks different when the opponent knows him best.
Redick has not hidden where he stands.
“He’s a fantastic basketball player, and I think he’ll continue to get better,” the Lakers coach said.
That belief has been reinforced by what Kessler has already done in Los Angeles. Through two regular-season games, he has given the Lakers the kind of return they were after when they made the deal: a reliable lob threat and a rim deterrent who can change the shape of possessions on both ends. In his most recent outing, he scored 22 points on 11-for-14 shooting in 35 minutes, adding eight rebounds, three assists, six blocks and three steals. In his Lakers debut, he went 12-for-12 from the field for 26 points, then followed it with another 22-point game against the Clippers.
That production is part of why the Lakers were willing to make the move in the first place. They targeted Kessler because of his age and his fit with their stars, then committed to him with a four-year, $130 million deal in the sign-and-trade. Utah, meanwhile, received unprotected first-round picks in 2031 and 2033, plus first-round swaps in 2028 and 2030.
The price of that deal gives Tuesday’s game a sharper edge. Kessler is not just returning to Salt Lake City; he is returning to the team that once planned to keep him, a detail that made the trade a surprise. He spent four seasons with the Jazz, and last year his season was cut down to five games after a right shoulder injury that required surgery.
Kessler said he is looking forward to the moment.
“I’m so excited to compete against those guys,” he said.
He also described how much it means simply to be back on the floor.
“It’s so much fun. So much fun... I’m just so thankful for this opportunity, so thankful to be healthy,” Kessler said.
The timing adds another layer. The Lakers are playing their first road game of the season, and the Jazz enter it after a rough stretch that included a bad loss to the Grizzlies before bouncing back against the Pelicans. Utah also beat the Suns 119-116, which only adds to the sense that this is not a throwaway early-season stop for either side.
That is what makes the matchup interesting beyond the reunion itself. Kessler’s first game against Utah will not answer every question about his future in Los Angeles, but it will at least show how the Lakers’ view of him looks when the setting changes. If he keeps producing the way he has through his first two games, the night in Salt Lake City will say as much about the player the Lakers think they acquired as it does about the one the Jazz let go.