Jazz created important Walker Kessler failsafe by re-signing Jusuf Nurkic

The Utah Jazz don't have that much to worry about with Walker Kessler's free agency. Unless the Los Angeles Lakers launch the nuclear option (on the Jazz and themselves), Kessler will play for the team next season. However, re-signing Jusuf Nurkic is not only great news sentimentally, but also a good backup in the *highly unlikely* event that Kessler skips town.

It's not like Nurkic is as good as Kessler is, but he did an admirable job filling in for the Jazz center once he went down. Ask anyone, and they'll tell you that, at minimum, Nurkic did a good enough job that absolutely no one had a problem with him coming back to the team next season.

It wouldn't be the most optimal situation, but it would still be a manageable one. Utah would still be quite loaded even without Kessler, and Nurkic could mitigate some of the flaws Kessler's potential departure would create, even if it wouldn't be all of them.

And to be fair, Jaren Jackson Jr. would do a fine job as a rim protector should Kessler go, so it's not like all of Kessler's responsibilities would fall on Nurkic's shoulders.

Not to mention, they have someone who, from the moment he became a Jazzman, has voiced his loyalty as a Jazzman.

Still, the plan understandably still is to keep Kessler

Some may misinterpret today's news as some indication that Utah is willing to let Kessler walk. TO that, I say, don't be ridiculous. Keeping both Kessler and Nurkic on the team was always part of the plan, and now they've accomplished half of their offseason goals.

Even with Nurkic on the team for the next two years, that gives the Jazz absolutely no incentive to let Kessler go. In fact, they have every incentive to keep Kessler with the team expected to get stronger with Nurkic back and Darryn Peterson about to be brought into the fold.

Kessler only adds to it. For how surprisingly still good Nurkic is at this stage of his career, he really is best as a backup option, even if he did a fine job as a starter. Bringing him and Kessler back only makes perhaps the Jazz's biggest strength even stronger.

This shouldn't change anything about what happens with Kessler. Utah is holding firm on their offer for him and he is holding out for more. No matter who blinks first, it's just good ton know that the Jazz have all their bases covered.

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