Lakers trade rumors: Interest in Jazz center Walker Kessler remains

The Lakers could hardly have wished for a better start to the season. Although they weren't flawless along the way, the Purple and Gold are 3-0 and the atmosphere is great.

Since the team is actually winning games, the trade rumors are no longer current, but they definitely still exist. And the Lakers still have tradeable contracts.

Even if the team is good this season and isn't fighting for a play-in spot, a trade that takes them from good to great – rather than mediocre to good – is still very appealing. And one of the names that could be at the top of that list is Walker Kessler.

It's not new that the Lakers are linked to Kessler. There have been rumors linking the two, although nothing too concrete. However, if the team wants to make the jump to a true contender, a player like Kessler could be the catalyst.

In a current live stream on his YouTube channel, Jovan Buha reports on The athlete noted that Kessler remains on the Lakers' roster.

“I think we need more time to see what people become available. I think that Walker Kessler is a name that the Lakers have been interested in that would make a lot of sense and would allow you to either start a two-big look or, probably more realistically, start him off the bench get and then play two-big shifts and then finish with two bigs in certain matchups. Jerami Grant, Bruce Brown, Dorian Finney-Smith, Cam Johnson, the guys they’ve pursued or been interested in in the past.”

Kessler checks several boxes, as Buha mentioned. He's a big defensive player who could play alongside Anthony Davis and allow the team to play more two-big looks.

While Jaxson Hayes impressed in his role early in the season, Kessler is a notable boost in talent. He finished third in rookie of the year voting in his first season and averaged 2.3 blocks per game in his first two seasons.

He also has a rookie contract that calls for him to make just $2.9 million this year and $4.8 million next season before he becomes a restricted free agent. If the Lakers make a trade this season, they could negotiate a contract extension with him next season. His low contract also makes it easy for the Lakers to match salaries.

Apart from that, jazz is also very aware of this. All of the things that make Kessler attractive to the Lakers make him attractive to any team in the NBA.

During the offseason, the price tag for teams inquiring about Kessler was high. According to longtime NBA reporter Marc Stein, the asking price for Kessler was two first-round picks. And that's not a first-round pick and Jalen Hood-Schifino that so many of you disagree with. These are two true first-round picks.

The Lakers have the option to make such a trade, but it would likely be the last major move the team could make in the LeBron James-Anthony Davis era. Is the move big enough to put almost all of the remaining chips on the table?

That could be the debate that will continue for the next few months.

You can follow Jacob on Twitter at @JacobRude.