LA Lakers trade rumours are perhaps the strongest of any team in the NBA at this moment in time, as they look to build a championship winning team once again. Analyst Kendrick Perkins has put forward not one, but two Utah Jazz players who he thinks would slot perfectly into their roster.
Kendrick Perkins Fuels LA Lakers Trade Rumours With Double Jazz Suggestion
The LA Lakers are by no means in panic mode having stretched their season record to 12-8 on Sunday night, but it’s far from the team-toppling juggernaut of years gone by.
LA Lakers trade rumours continue to do the rounds in the NBA press, with key analysts coughing up their suggestions for who the franchise should be targeting.
The need for an experienced center has been one of the strongest rumours, but shoring up their worrying defensive issues will be key with the Lakers ranking all the way down at 25th for defensive ratings this season.
Safeguarding their long-term future will also be paramount, even if veterans LeBron James and Anthony Davis are still putting up the most points in the team.
They narrowly squeezed past the Utah Jazz on Sunday with a one-point margin of victory, but it was their seventh game in a row allowing 100-plus opposition points.
ESPN analyst Kendrick Perkins has weighed in with his own take on the state of the Lakers, and suggests two of Sunday’s opponents could be the right fit.
During the Lakers’ victory over the Jazz, Perkins took to X (formerly Twitter) to post the Tweet below.
Sexton and Kessler are the pieces that the Lakers need. I wonder if Pelinka see it
— Kendrick Perkins (@KendrickPerkins) December 2, 2024
Collin Sexton is averaging 17.0 points, 2.5 rebounds, and 3.1 assists per-game in a Jazz team spiralling downwards with 16th defeat of the season, and would certainly be liberated by not having to pander to some of the relatively inexperienced starters at Utah.
As for Kessler, the Lakers have already been rumoured to be casting a keen eye over the Jazz center, with the franchise reportedly willing to listen to offers.
Although Kessler is still on a rookie contract worth just over $2m, Sexton is banking just over $18m so the Lakers would likely be forced to fork out sizeable trade compensation.
