Walker Kessler has watched as the Utah Jazz have struggled without him this year, and been the consumnate teammate - traveling with the team and supporting his guys even as the losses have piled up, week after week.
On Tuesday, the Utah Jazz sent the biggest of mixed messages to Kessler and the rest of the NBA. They made a blockbuster seven-player trade with the Memphis Grizzlies that brings a new big man to Salt Lake City, in Jaren Jackson Jr., the 2023 NBA Defensive Player of the Year.
Jackson Jr. is most comfortable at the five. Still, he has played some four in Memphis alongside Zach Edey and Jock Landale, while Kessler is definitely a five, but one who was showing signs of improvement from deep early on - going six of eight from deep before being shut down for the season due to injury.
While keeping both players would undoubtedly boost the Jazz's fortunes in 2026-27 and beyond, it could be costly - they are about $22 million under the luxury tax line after the trade. They will need to sign both Walker Kessler and Keyonte George to new contracts this summer.
Per the Athletic's Tony Jones, the team is still interested in keeping Walker long-term:
League Sources: Utah’s move for JJJ will not affect the Jazz’ interest in keeping Walker Kessler long term. The Jazz are doing this envisioning JJJ/Lauri/Kessler frontcourt
— Tony Jones (@Tjonesonthenba) February 3, 2026
Did Kessler botch his contract negotiations last summer?
Kessler's asking price was rumored to be $120 million over five years during extension talks with the Jazz in the summer of 2025. While both sides couldn't reach a deal, it was viewed as business in the NBA, though several teams that had an interest in the young center took notice.
Kessler played with a chip on his shoulder at the outset of the 2025-26 season, averaging 14.4 points, 10.8 boards, and 1.8 blocks over the first five games, before his shoulder injury put him on the shelf for the season.
With Jaren Jackson Jr. now on the roster and occupying a big role (19.2 points, 5.8 boards, 1.9 assists, and 1.5 blocks per night), he will step into the starting lineup immediately. And having Jock Landale as a backup big should allow Jusuf Nurkic to play fewer minutes from here on out.
Kessler didn't choose to be injured this year, but it couldn't have come at a worse time. His leverage is all but gone, due to today's shocking trade.
The Jazz now can utilize him in sign-and-trade discussions this summer, or keep him with a qualifying offer of $7.064,703 - a relative bargain for a center of Kessler's standing.
It really looks like Kessler, or his agent, botched the negotiations and should have taken what was there last summer. Of course, this is all in hindsight, but that's the way of things in the NBA - opportunity knocks once for some players, and then it's gone.