The Los Angeles Lakers are getting what they have wanted for a while at the center position a substantial upgrade.On Wednesday morning, they reportedly agreed to acquire Walker Kessler, an ascendant young center who spent his first four seasons with the Utah Jazz, for two unprotected first-round draft picks in 2031 and 2033 and two first-round pick swaps in 2028 and 2030 in a sign-and-trade deal with Utah. Kessler, who is a restricted free agent, will sign a four-year, $130 million deal with Los Angeles, according to Shams Charania of ESPN.Kessler, who will turn 25 years of age on July 26, has been linked to Los Angeles for the last couple of seasons.BREAKING: The Los Angeles Lakers are acquiring Walker Kessler from the Utah Jazz for unprotected first-round picks in 2031 and 2033 and first-round swaps in 2028 and 2030, sources tell ESPN. Kessler will sign a massive four-year, $130 million deal with the Lakers. pic.twitter.com/rt8b17fEQZ Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) July 1, 2026This is a very solid coup for a Lakers franchise that has lost LeBron James, Marcus Smart and Luke Kennard so far in free agency.Kessler has career averages of 9.5 points, 9.3 rebounds and 2.4 blocks in 25.3 minutes a game during his four seasons in the NBA. He was the No. 22 pick in the 2022 NBA Draft, and he was named the SEC Defensive Player of the Year in 2022 while at Auburn University.The 7-foot-2, 245-pound center isn't a real offensive threat, but he showed some early signs of developing a 3-point shot early this past season. In five games before a shoulder injury ended his year, he hit six of eight 3-point attempts and averaged 14.4 points, 10.8 boards, three assists, 1.4 steals and 1.8 blocks per game.In L.A., he will give Luka Doncic a lob threat and pick-and-roll partner who will control the boards, patrol the paint and protect the rim for a Lakers team that was defensively challenged this past season.This article originally appeared on LeBron Wire: Walker Kessler is heading to the Lakers