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The Los Angeles Lakers have made a flurry of roster moves to begin the offseason.
After starting things out by inking Austin Reaves to a four-year, $185 million contract extension, the 17-time NBA champions added Walker Kessler, Collin Sexton, Quentin Grimes, and Sandro Mamukelashvili to their new-look roster.
After the Lakers’ busy day, the franchise’s star point guard, Luka Doncic, sent the franchise a clear message they can't ignore.
"According to league sources, Luka Doncic was ‘excited’ about the Lakers' signings, with the team addressing his biggest desires for the roster by keeping Austin Reaves and getting an elite rim-protecting center in Kessler," The Athletic’s Dan Woike reported Thursday.
It’s no secret that Doncic wanted nothing more than for the Lakers to keep Reaves in the fold while finding a dynamic two-way center with a noticeably high motor. The fact that the 27-year-old former Dallas Mavericks superstar didn’t want the Lakers to surrender Reaves in a potential blockbuster deal for Giannis Antetokounmpo should tell fans just how much he values the undrafted stud as his teammate in Los Angeles.
Regarding centers, Kessler and Jalen Duren were the two targets the Lakers prioritized. While it looked like there was a chance Los Angeles could strike out on both targets, Rob Pelinka proved his doubters wrong by landing Kessler in a blockbuster sign-and-trade (granted, they did send a massive haul to the Utah Jazz, which will have significant implications on their financial flexibility moving forward).
Needless to say, it’ll be exhilarating to witness Kessler and Doncic connect in transition and in the pick-and-roll regularly, as well as Kessler’s high-level rim protection (he averaged 14.4 points, 10.8 rebounds, and 1.8 blocks per game during an injury-riddled 2025-26 campaign).
If Doncic is pleased with the Lakers’ offseason activity, it’s safe to say the franchise is on the right track toward title contention.
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