The Lakers’ offseason acquisition Walker Kessler is expected to play a larger role on defense, particularly around protecting the rim. Both outlets describe him as a player seeking to demonstrate that he can become an elite rim protector and raise the overall defensive level.
The context is that Kessler’s potential defensive impact is linked to his ability to stay healthy and to play with high motivation entering the season. The accounts emphasize what his presence could enable for the team’s broader defensive scheme—specifically, allowing the Lakers to be more aggressive at the perimeter while still anchoring protection inside. Overall, the coverage is focused more on capability and system fit than on a specific game or immediate statistic, with the central theme being that a fully available Kessler could change how the Lakers defend across multiple positions.
