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The price the Lakers paid for Kessler was a steep one: unprotected first-round picks in 2031 and 2033, along with first-round swap rights in 2028 and 2030. It is comparable to, and in some cases exceeds, what other teams paid this summer for established stars like Jaylen Brown, LaMelo Ball, and Kawhi Leonard.
At the same time, there is a perfectly valid counterargument. If Kessler was the franchise center Dončić wanted so badly, and from the people I’ve spoken to I can confirm he pushed hard for this move, then perhaps that was simply the cost of doing business.