Lakers' Walker Kessler addition makes Spurs' new reality impossible to ignore

The Lakers needed a more intimidating interior force, and they got just that. They sent a handful of draft compensation over to the Utah Jazz in exchange for Walker Kessler, who intends to sign a massive four-year, $130M deal with them. This is a part of a larger trend that the Spurs should be attentive to: the rest of the league is getting bigger, making their path to a title even tougher.

Kessler was one of the most sought-after players of this offseason with his intriguing size and knack for challenging shots at the rim. He averages over two blocks per game throughout his career, making him one of the NBA's premier defensive players. He just needed a chance to finally make an impact on a winning team, as he's never been in the playoffs before.

That won't be the case for much longer. He and Luka are going to be an amazing offensive duo, picking-and-rolling opponents to death. Kessler will also hold down LA's interior defense, giving them flashbacks to the days they had Anthony Davis. Most importantly, they finally have an answer to the Spurs, who just established themselves as the team to beat in the West.

The Lakers are adding to an anti-Wemby agenda across the league

The biggest theme of the offseason seems to be frontcourt additions. General managers saw Victor Wembanyama's playoff impact and have been scrambling to supplement their rosters with more big bodies. The Miami Heat traded depth and draft capital to get Giannis. The Oklahoma City Thunder drafted the 7'3" Aday Mara to pair with Chet Holmgren and Isaiah Hartenstein.

The Lakers added to that trend by bringing in Kessler, who significantly upgrades their interior resistance. They ranked 19th in opponents' points in the paint, and he could drastically change that next season.

He's as good an answer to Wemby as the Lakers were going to get this summer. In future matchups, Kessler's rim protection could neutralize his paint scoring, pushing his offensive attack further away from the basket. Additionally, he makes life a bit harder for San Antonio's guards, who love to do their damage on the interior.

This has to be flattering for the young Spurs

I still find it shocking that San Antonio went from being a wildcard in the Western Conference last summer to becoming the premier team to beat. It seems like just yesterday, analysts were uncertain about their upside in the 2025-2026 season, and now teams across the league are making moves left and right to stop them.

This is especially true for Victor Wembanyama. We can talk about his NBA Finals problems as much as we want to, but no other player set off a chain reaction across the league quite like him. He forced front offices to understand that their teams don't have a chance in hell of containing him if they don't add more size to their rosters.

If you ever thought San Antonio's playoff run was a fluke, think again. They're changing the scope of the league right in front of our eyes. But they must also be aware that if they want to maintain their success, they must respond to these new threats. Next season will be a big test for them.

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