Can Walker Kessler find that next gear?
Walker Kessler is as important to the team's future as Keyonte George, Taylor Hendricks and Brice Sensabaugh. He's the defensive dynamo that has made hue impacts on the team already in his first nearly-two-seasons in the NBA. He's proving to have enormous upside, especially on defense, as he's one of the better shot-blockers in the league and runs the court shockingly well for a guy his size.
The problem comes with his offensive game or lack thereof. He's a great rim-runner and can make an impact on put-back dunks, but outside of standing in the dunker's spot down low in half-court offense scenarios, he doesn't provide much help offensively. He's limited with his shot and doesn't have a mid-range jumper, a hook shot, or a three-point shot to save his life.
With him returning to the starting lineup this season, the onus for Kessler is going to be on how he improves the offense with him on the court. Now, if he can get better at passing, he may not need to get a shot going that falls consistently, as plenty of bigs earn their minutes because of their passing skills, but Kessler needs to work on his offensive impact if he hopes to not only remain a starter but improve to All-Star levels like we all hoped he could.