Walker Kessler, a 24-year-old center for the Los Angeles Lakers who previously played for the Utah Jazz before suffering a season-ending shoulder injury in October last year, expressed his eagerness and joy at returning to basketball during a Lakers practice. The Lakers signed him to a four-year, $130 million contract this July, making him an integral part of their team despite his absence from play last season due to the injury. Coach JJ Redick noted that Kessler has been participating in live action drills but remains questionable for Tuesday’s exhibition game against the Warriors due to an injured finger sustained during training camp.
Written locally by qwen2.5:14b on 2026-10-11,
using this article's own text rather than the other coverage of the
same event (that is the story summary below).
Walker Kessler had multiple ways to view an unfortunate situation.
asserted
Kessler → have → situation
After suffering a season-ending left shoulder injury last October, the then 24-year-old center for the Utah Jazz could’ve felt robbed.
uncertain
center → suffer → Jazz
He could’ve felt angry.
uncertain
He → feel → ?
He could’ve felt worried about his future.
uncertain
He → feel → future
Instead, he chose to tell himself a different story.
asserted
he → choose → story
“It was tough, but I think it’s always important to remember things happen for a reason,” Kessler said at Lakers practice Sunday.
“And I think that with the absence of basketball, my longing to play basketball grew even more to where I’m gonna be playing with so much joy that I’ve played with in a long time because I’ve never sat out for a whole season.”
asserted
I → think → season
Things have worked out for Kessler.
asserted
Things → work → Kessler
The Lakers acquired him in a sign-and-trade deal with Utah in July, sending two unprotected first-round picks and two first-round pick swaps to the Jazz and signing Kessler to a four-year, $130 million contract.
asserted
Lakers → acquire → contract
So, he went from playing for a team that missed the playoffs the last four seasons and is trying to rebuild to a team that views anything short of a championship as a failure.
asserted
that → go → failure
The Lakers really believe in Walker.
asserted
Lakers → believe → Walker
They mortgaged their future for him.
asserted
They → mortgage → him
They don’t have any tradeable first-round draft picks over the next seven years.
asserted
They → have → years
“He’s a guy that I’ve followed since his rookie year,” Lakers coach JJ Redick said Sunday.
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Redick → ’ → year
“We played against him my rookie year coaching and [he’s] somebody that I had identified a long time ago [as] somebody that I loved to have in a Laker uniform at some point.”
asserted
I → play → point
Kessler now has the opportunity of a lifetime.
asserted
Kessler → have → lifetime
He’s playing for one of the league’s premier franchises.
asserted
He → play → franchises
He’s sharing the court with Luka Dončić, one of the top-four players in the NBA.
asserted
He → share → NBA
He has said multiple times that he’s ready to run through a wall for the purple and gold.
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he → say → purple
The Lakers have yet to see Kessler in uniform, though.
asserted
Lakers → have → uniform
He jammed his finger against the backboard during training camp and has been sidelined for all three of the team’s preseason games.
asserted
He → jam → games
He’s questionable for Tuesday’s exhibition game against the Warriors.
asserted
He → ’ → Warriors
Redick said Walker participated in live action drills at Sunday’s practice, but added that he’s “not willing to commit” to whether Walker will make his preseason debut Tuesday or in the Lakers’ final exhibition Friday.
asserted
Walker → say → exhibition
Kessler joked that he blocked some shots with his wrapped up pinky finger, smiling while showing reporters how he moved it out of the way.
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he → joke → way
He’s eager to get on the court.
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He → ’ → court
Kessler wants to establish himself as the anchor alongside a defense he has referred to as “nasty.”
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he → want → defense
He wants to build chemistry alongside Doncic and Austin Reaves as a member of the Lakers’ Big 3.
asserted
He → want → 3
He wants to do what he loves again.
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he → want → what
So, sitting out these last three preseason games for what he referred to as precautionary reasons has been tough.
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he → sit → reasons
“I think it would be a little different if I played last season, but because I didn’t play last season, I’m like, ‘Ah, I want to play really bad,'” Kessler said.
asserted
Kessler → think → ?
“I’m ready to play, but I trust the staff and I trust the trainers, the coaches, and front office, you know?
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you → ’m → trainers
He’s considered one of the league’s elite rebounders and rim protectors.
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He → consider → rebounders
He missed a season during his prime.
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He → miss → prime
During the 2024-2025 campaign, he averaged 11.1 points, 12.2 rebounds and 2.4 blocked shots per game.
asserted
he → average → game
He contested 7.5 shots per game at the rim, tying him for fifth-most in the league, according to NBA.com.
uncertain
He → contest → NBA.com
The Lakers are going to need even more from him.
asserted
Lakers → go → him
They’re going to need him to transform into an All-Defense-type player.
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him → go → player
They’re going to need him to be a beast in the paint.
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him → go → paint
They’re going to need him to put on a show catching lobs from Doncic.
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him → go → Doncic
He’s waited a year for this moment.
asserted
He → wait → moment
And he’s choosing to believe that his long layoff will make him even more ready for this moment.
asserted
him → choose → moment
…and 2 more, not listed.
The Aporia
