Looks like the Lakers got their franchise center.
asserted
Lakers → look → center
They needed a bastion down low.
asserted
They → need → bastion
They listened to Luka Dončić when he said he wanted Walker Kessler.
asserted
he → listen → Kessler
Rob Pelinka gambled everything to get him.
asserted
Pelinka → gamble → him
Kessler is making Doncic look like a skilled scout.
asserted
Doncic → make → scout
And he’s making Pelinka look like a man with good job security.
asserted
Pelinka → make → security
The 7-foot-1 center, whom the Lakers acquired over the summer in a sign-and-trade deal with the Jazz, had 22 points on 10-for-14 shooting, eight rebounds, three assists, six blocked shots and three steals in the Lakers’ 125-117 win over the Clippers on Friday.
asserted
Lakers → acquire → Friday
He had the highest plus-minus (+18) of anyone on the court.
asserted
He → have → court
That followed a 26-point performance on 12-for-12 shooting, nine rebounds, one assist and two blocked shots in his regular-season Laker debut against the Warriors on Wednesday.
asserted
That → follow → Wednesday
This is who the Lakers wanted.
asserted
Lakers → want → who
This is who they needed.
asserted
they → need → who
This is who could turn them into contenders.
uncertain
who → turn → contenders
Everyone knew the Lakers’ offense was going to be incredible behind Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves.
asserted
offense → know → Doncic
But last season, the Lakers ranked 20th in defensive efficiency.
asserted
Lakers → rank → efficiency
They desperately needed to improve.
asserted
They → need → ?
So, the Lakers gave the Jazz two first-round picks and two first-round pick swaps to acquire the 25-year-old Kessler, signing him to a four-year, $130 million deal.
asserted
Lakers → give → deal
It meant they wouldn’t have any tradable first-round draft picks for the next seven years.
asserted
they → mean → years
It meant Kessler would make or break this Laker team.
asserted
Kessler → mean → team
In his debut against the Warriors, he was the first Laker since Wilt Chamberlain to shoot 12-for-12 in a game.
asserted
he → shoot → game
And against the Clippers, he became the eighth Laker to record six blocks and three steals in a game, according to Stathead.
uncertain
he → become → Stathead
“He’s a fantastic basketball player and I think he’ll continue to get better,” Lakers coach JJ Redick said.
asserted
Redick → ’ → ?
“I mean, that was one of the reasons that we wanted him and he was so appealing to us was because of his age and feeling like the fit with our two stars was really good.
asserted
fit → mean → stars
And [he’s] someone that can continue to grow and become just a fantastic player in the NBA.”
asserted
that → ’ → NBA
Kessler only played in five games last season after suffering a torn left labrum that required surgery.
asserted
that → play → surgery
What’s his ceiling?
asserted
ceiling → ’ → ?
Is he going to live up to expectations?
asserted
he → go → expectations
Was he really worth the enormous price the Lakers paid for him?
asserted
Lakers → pay → him
Memories are short in the NBA, especially when a player misses 77 games.
asserted
player → miss → games
But Kessler is silencing his doubters.
asserted
Kessler → silence → doubters
“Oh, it’s so much fun,” Kessler said of being back on the court.
asserted
Kessler → ’ → court
“It’s so much fun.
asserted
It → ’ → ?
And just to be here now, I’m just so thankful.
asserted
I → ’m → ?
The Lakers need Kessler to develop into an All-Defensive-type player.
asserted
Kessler → need → player
They need him to complete their Big 3 alongside Doncic and Reaves.
asserted
him → need → Doncic
They need him to be a force.
asserted
him → need → ?
He’s checking those boxes.
asserted
He → check → boxes
After the score was knotted at 64-64 at halftime, Kessler took over in the third quarter with his defense, helping the Lakers lead by as much as 14 points in the period.
asserted
Lakers → knot → period
“It just felt like Walker was everywhere in that third,” Redick said.
asserted
Redick → feel → third
“…There were multiple times [in the game] where it felt like they had a layup and he either came over and blocked the shot or created an altered shot.”
asserted
he → be → shot
Kessler’s next game will meld his future with his past as the Lakers travel to Utah to face the Jazz.
asserted
Lakers → meld → Jazz
…and 7 more, not listed.
The Aporia
