The Lakers could hardly have asked for a better start to the season. Although they have not been flawless along the way, the purple and gold are 3-0 and the atmosphere is great.

That said, while trade rumors may no longer be prevalent now that the team is actually winning games, they certainly still exist. And the Lakers still have tradable contracts.

Even if the team is good this season and not fighting for a play-in spot, a trade that takes them from good to great – instead of mediocre to good – is still very attractive. And one of the names that could top that list is Walker Kessler.

It is not new that the Lakers have been linked to Kessler. There have been rumors linking the two, but nothing too concrete. However, if the team wants to make the jump to a legitimate contender, a player like Kessler could be the catalyst for that.

On a recent livestream on his YouTube channel, Jovan Buha said of The Athletics noted that Kessler remains on the Lakers’ roster.

“I think we need more time to see which guys become available. I think Walker Kessler is a name the Lakers are interested in that would make a lot of sense and allow you to either start a two-big look or, probably more realistically, bring him off the bench and then two -great to play. shifts and then, in certain matchups, finishing with two bigs. Jerami Grant, Bruce Brown, Dorian Finney-Smith, Cam Johnson, the guys they’ve gone after or been interested in in the past.

Kessler checks a number of boxes, as Buha said. He is a defensive big man who could play next to Anthony Davis and allow the team to play more two-big looks.

While Jaxson Hayes has impressed in his role early in the season, Kessler is a notable step up in terms of talent. In his first season, he finished third in Rookie of the Year voting and averaged 2.3 blocks per game over his first two seasons.

He is also on a rookie contract, which means he will make just $2.9 million this year and $4.8 million next season before becoming a restricted free agent. If the Lakers make a trade this offseason, they could negotiate an extension with him next season. His low contract also makes it easy for the Lakers to match salaries.

Now that all this has been said, the Jazz are very aware of this as well. All the things that make Kessler attractive to the Lakers make him attractive to any team in the NBA.

This offseason, the price was high for teams inquiring about Kessler. According to former NBA reporter Marc Stein, the asking price for Kessler was two first-round picks. And that’s not a first-round pick and Jalen Hood-Schifino that so many of you are waiting for. Those are two real first-round picks.

The Lakers have the ability to make that kind of trade, but it would likely be the last major move the team could make in the LeBron James-Anthony Davis era. Is this a big enough move to put almost all of their remaining chips on the table?

That could be the debate that will continue in the coming months.

You can follow Jacob on Twitter at @JacobRude.