Of the many newcomers to the Los Angeles Lakers this summer, Walker Kessler and Collin Sexton are arguably the two most important ones, not only when it comes to their abilities, but also when it comes to the needs they will fill.
Kessler will address what was seen as a huge need for improved defense, rebounding and scoring near the rim at the center position. Sexton, meanwhile, will not only help improve a Lakers bench that was 29th in scoring last season, but he can also infuse the team with some much-needed speed and fast-breaking ability. He should also take pressure off Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves by handling the ball and facilitating the team’s offense for stretches of action.
Kessler and Sexton were teammates for three seasons on the Utah Jazz before Sexton was traded to the Charlotte Hornets last summer. The two were seen scrimmaging together at the Big A Classic, via Swish Cultures on X (formerly Twitter).
The importance of getting in work together cannot be understated for a Lakers team that has so many new players incoming after it lost LeBron James, Rui Hachimura, Luke Kennard, Marcus Smart and Jaxson Hayes in free agency. Doncic is helping out by staging a minicamp in his native Slovenia, and according to Dan Woike of The Athletic, he offered to pay for his teammates’ travel expenses.
The only players currently left from last season’s squad are Doncic, Austin Reaves, Jake LaRavia, Jarred Vanderbilt, Adou Thiero, Dalton Knecht and Bronny James. Of them, only Doncic and Reaves seem to be iron-clad locks to be in coach JJ Redick’s regular rotation.
This article originally appeared on LeBron Wire: Walker Kessler and Collin Sexton are working out together
Reporting by Robert Marvi, LeBron Wire / LeBron Wire
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
By Robert Marvi, LeBron Wire | USA TODAY Network
