The Utah Jazz lost the starting center they drafted, developed, and committed to re-signing at a lucrative deal—just not quite as lucrative as he ultimately received. It's been a talking point throughout the national media, as Walker Kessler left Utah to join the Los Angeles Lakers.
What's been commonly overlooked, however, is that the Jazz are a better team after making the responsible decision to not pay Kessler $32.5 million per season and instead trade him for two first-round picks and a pair of pick swaps.
Kessler certainly leaves a void in the Jazz's rotation, as they need rebounding and perhaps even rim protection. He thrived in those very areas, boasting career averages of 13.2 rebounds, 4.8 offensive rebounds, and 3.4 blocks per 36 minutes through four seasons in Utah.
The Jazz have an All-Star duo in the frontcourt, however, with Jaren Jackson Jr. anchoring the defense and Lauri Markkanen playing the same pivotal role on the other end of the floor.
Yes, rebounding will likely be an issue, but the Jazz weren't exactly complacent this summer. They drafted a potential superstar, made low-cost signings of quality veterans, and prioritized their financial flexibility over the fear that they'd struggle to replace Kessler at any point in the future.
Equipped with a surplus of assets to potentially trade for a starting center if the need truly exists, the Jazz are in a far better position than they would've been had they re-signed Kessler.
Jazz have improved their roster despite losing their starting center
Utah's perimeter is now flush with talent. Ace Bailey, Keyonte George, and Brice Sensabaugh are proven under-25 scorers, and Isaiah Collier ranks among the best backup point guards in the NBA. No. 2 pick Darryn Peterson will now join that group as one of the most highly-touted incoming rookies in recent memory.
A dynamic scorer and playmaker with tremendous on-film athleticism and a head coach who's already challenging him on defense, Peterson can take a promising core and turn it into something special.
Furthermore, Jackson is a former Defensive Player of the Year who's still just 26 years of age and Markkanen is one of the best scoring big men in the NBA. Alongside them will now be Jaxson Hayes, who averaged 3.0 offensive rebounds per 36 minutes in 2025-26 and is owed just $12 million over the next two seasons
Along those same lines, Utah signed veteran wing defender Josh Okogie at a matching two years and $12 million. Okogie averaged 17.8 minutes per game for the 52-win Houston Rockets in 2025-26.
Each of these decisions and commitments has positioned Utah to compete for a playoff spot as soon as 2026-27. Though Hayes may not perfectly replace Kessler, the team's financial decisions, influx of draft picks, and surplus of young talent has also given it the resources necessary to potentially trade for a high-level center if Jackson and Markkanen prove to need more help.
The Jazz losing Kessler is unlikely to make anyone in Utah happy, but the franchise has maneuvered perfectly to overcome his absence and plan for a bright future without him.
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