It is the Lakers’ biggest bet of the season. After years chasing a center who could give them a boost — even more so since they have Luka Dončić — the Californians have put 130 million dollars on the table to make Walker Kessler that man. It is no small matter, as last season he could only play five games due to a serious injury.
Although the tear in the left shoulder labrum is now a thing of the past, in recent weeks a problem with the little finger of his left hand has cropped up. The team’s own coach, J.J. Redick, downplayed it a few days ago with all the right reasons, as this past Sunday he participated fully in practice and his debut looks imminent.
«I feel good. Today I participated without limitations in training and I felt great», says Kessler after showing reporters the black tape wrapping his injured finger.
With a current 2-1 record in the preseason, the Lakers have two more preparation games to play: Tuesday against the Golden State Warriors in Las Vegas and Friday at home against the Denver Nuggets. The 25-year-old center does not hide his eagerness to play his first minutes with the purple and gold.
«I feel good. Today I participated without limitations in practice and I felt great», says Kessler after showing reporters the black tape wrapping his injured finger.
With a current 2-1 record in the preseason, the Lakers have two more preparation games to play: Tuesday against the Golden State Warriors in Las Vegas and Friday at home against the Denver Nuggets. The 25-year-old center does not hide his eagerness to play his first minutes with the Lakers.
«I think it would be something different if I had played last season, but since I didn’t, I think: ‘Oh, I really want to play.’ I’m ready to play, but I trust the coaching staff, the trainers, the coaches and the front office, you know? So yes, for now I’m listening to them», he states.
Redick Keeps Walker Kessler’s Debut in Doubt
As for Kessler’s debut in the gold and purple, the Lakers’ head coach has not wanted to confirm whether his pupil will play (or not) this Tuesday against Stephen Curry’s Golden State Warriors.
«A lot can happen in 48 hours. We’ll act with prudence. We’ll see how he feels on Monday. But I don’t want to commit to saying whether he’ll play on Tuesday or not. At some point this week he’ll participate in real-game situations», he explains.
Es lógico que Redick no quiere pillarse los dedos con un chico que lleva prácticamente un año completo sin jugar, pero de igual modo parece que ir dándole algo de tiempo en cancha es esencial para que los suyos no empiecen la campaña dando demasiada ventaja a sus rivales.
