Because Walker Kessler was in trade rumors throughout all of last offseason, he still gets brought up when mentioned among potential Utah Jazz trade candidates. Maybe it made some sense last summer if the Jazz had lost faith in him, but whether they had or not, he's given them every reason to believe he's the future.
Kessler has bounced back so well this season that he's been compared to some of the NBA's premier defenders from a previous era. That's why it's so hard to see the Jazz actually consider trading him to teams with limited assets like the Lakers.
Reports have indicated that the Jazz aren't actively trying to trade him, but no intel has suggested that he's untouchable. Raptors Republic's Esfandiar Baraheni mentioned a fan-made trade idea involving Kessler in which the following swap would happen between the Jazz and Raptors.
Jazz receive: Bruce Brown, Davion Mitchell
Raptors receive: Kessler, John Collins, 2028 Raptors first-round pick, 2025 Trail Blazers second-round pick
Baraheni himself clarified that the Raptors wouldn't do this. Like the Jazz, the Raptors are in the thick of the tanking game. Accepting a trade like this from the Jazz would hinder their tanking efforts since they are acquiring the two best players in the trade by far.
The Jazz would probably reject this, too, primarily because they'd want more assets back for Kessler. However, if said assets were included, the Jazz might consider giving up Kessler in a trade like this. That's primarily because this trade scenario hits several birds with one stone.
Why this begs an interesting question for the Jazz
Kessler's value is high enough that many would laugh if they got rid of him. He's on a rookie contract, and he's proven how useful he can be on both sides of the court. However, in this season, and this season alone, there is a scenario where the Jazz might contemplate trading him.
The Jazz would like to get rid of Collins' contract and could use Kessler to do just that, but that's a stupid reason to trade Kessler by itself. Of course, they would want first-round picks back, but they can do something like this next season.
This season, though, everyone knows there's a loaded draft coming up, and the Jazz are trying to get someone good out of it. Getting rid of any other team with the same intentions would help their odds.
Trading Kessler and Collins to a tanking team like the Raptors would make the Raptors unquestionably better. In fact, good enough that they could see themselves out of the tanking game. It may not be the Raptors who want those two, but a team like the Pelicans, who have also been worse and are only as bad as they are because of injuries, could certainly use those two.
If it came to that, the Jazz would have to think about that. Making themselves worse while making a tanker better could help their odds of getting Cooper Flagg. This would have to go hand in hand with cap relief and draft capital.
With all of that said, the Jazz would also have to think this draft class is just that good that it's worth giving up Kessler. Danny Ainge goes for the gold, and he's not afraid of making a move that initially won't sit well with fans, but more often than not, it works.
No one will bat an eye if the Jazz keep Kessler past the deadline. However, if they make a trade where they get plenty of draft capital, get rid of an unwanted contract, and rid themselves of a fellow tanking competitor, that is a trade that the Jazz might not pass up even if it came at the cost of Kessler.