There have been no trade rumors involving Utah Jazz center Walker Kessler, especially since the Los Angeles Lakers took themselves out of the running by signing Deandre Ayton. However, that won't stop trade proposals from pouring in. The most recent one would send Kessler to the Boston Celtics.
Bleacher Report's "Cone" outlined the following trade between the Celtics and Jazz:
Celtics receive: Kessler, Kyle Anderson, KJ Martin
Jazz receive: Anfernee Simons, 2026 first-round pick, three second-round picks
(12:23 mark)
"Cone" explained that the real centerpiece of the deal would be the first-round pick the Jazz would get back because Jayson Tatum likely won't play this season. He even floated the idea of Boston adding another pick to this trade to sweeten the deal.
Kessler would make sense on the Celtics as they traded Kristaps Porzingis and will likely lose Al Horford this summer, so to have Kessler come in would fill in a huge hole for them, even if Kessler can't hit threes at the same rate those two could.
So, trading for Kessler makes all the sense in the world for Boston, but it makes absolutely no sense for Utah to send him over there. It's for more reasons than how good Kessler is and the little return the Jazz would get back for him.
The Jazz literally got rid of guys who play like Simons
Simons isn't a bad player by any means, but it would make little sense to add someone like him - an undersized scorer who ranks at best as okay as a playmaker whose height limits his defensive effectiveness - when the Jazz just got rid of two players who play much like him: Collin Sexton and Jordan Clarkson.
Utah straight up dumped those guys because they wanted to open up time for their young guards, like Walter Clayton Jr., Isaiah Collier, and Keyonte George, so that they can develop. Simons would only get in the way of that, and many would question what the point was in getting rid of those two in the first place if Simons truly was on Utah's radar.
So, factoring that would make it only make less sense to trade Kessler in such a deal. However, that doesn't mean the Celtics and the Jazz couldn't agree to a deal. If Utah maybe wouldn't mind waiving Simons like they did with Clarkson, there is a scenario where they could become trade partners with Boston.
The Celtics are trying to save money, so Martin's non-guaranteed contract certainly appeals to them. There is definitely a possibility that the two sides could come to an agreement with some of these players and assets. It's just hard to see Kessler and first-round assets being dangled to make that possible.
Grade: D (It's not an F because Boston and Utah certainly make sense as trade partners)