Lakers center Walker Kessler, back on the floor after a season-ending shoulder surgery limited him to just five games last year, says his preseason matchup against three-time MVP Nikola Jokic was exactly the test he needed before the regular season begins.
Kessler posted six points on 2-for-8 shooting, six rebounds, four assists, two blocked shots and one steal in 31 minutes during the Lakers’ 121-106 exhibition loss to the Denver Nuggets on Friday. Jokic, who led Denver to the 2023 championship, had a far more dominant line: 17 points on 7-for-8 shooting from the field and 3-for-4 from three-point range, along with six rebounds, eight assists and two steals in 31 minutes.
“It knocked off a lot of rust,” Kessler said of guarding Jokic, smiling as he spoke. “Yeah, there was a pile in my locker. There’s a reason why he is who he is. He’s arguably the best big in the league and best player in the league. I would argue Luka’s better, obviously, for obvious reasons. But, yeah, he’s an exceptional player and for a preseason game, getting a regular-season game feel in that first half was really good for me and I think it was good for the team.”
The matchup came two days after Kessler’s preseason debut, when he looked sharp against the Golden State Warriors, scoring 11 points on 4-for-6 shooting with nine rebounds, one block and one steal in the first half of a 101-89 exhibition loss.
Kessler tore his left labrum in November and had not played basketball in 347 days before this preseason began. The Lakers acquired him over the summer in a sign-and-trade with the Utah Jazz, surrendering two future unprotected first-round picks and two first-round pick swaps, along with signing him to a four-year, $130 million contract.
In the five games he did play last season before his injury, Kessler averaged 14.4 points, 10.8 rebounds, three assists, 1.8 steals and 1.4 blocks per game. The year before, he contested 7.5 shots per game at the rim, the fifth-highest mark in the league, according to NBA.com.
His impact was evident against the Warriors. While Kessler was on the court for 16 minutes, the Lakers outscored Golden State by 15 points. In the 32 minutes he sat, the team was outscored by 27 — a notable swing for a Lakers defense that ranked 20th in the league last season.
“It’s been a long time since I’ve really competed against someone like that. I mean since November basically of last year,” Kessler said. “So definitely it was nice to get that in before it actually counts.”
The Lakers open their regular season against the Warriors on Wednesday.
