Walker Kessler's free agency market took a hit after the NBA Trade Deadline passed, as two teams that needed a center and had the money to add one - Washington and Indiana - filled that void with what they acquired. However, that doesn't mean the Utah Jazz are in the clear, as one team could certainly give Kessler a big enough offer to make the Jazz sweat: the Chicago Bulls.
NBA Insider Jake Fischer confirmed on The Stein Line that the Bulls are among the four teams with cap room this summer (it was previously six before Utah and Washington made their trades). He also made it clear that they will need a center.
"The Clippers, Lakers, Nets and Bulls, however, all project to be in position to spend some major money," Fischer wrote. "Sources say Chicago has already sent some signals that it will be looking at wings — restricted free agents included — while the Bulls are also clearly in need of a starting-caliber big man."
The Bulls have been the NBA's trademark treadmill team, slowly trying to remake themselves. No, Jazz fans, even with all the moves the Bulls have made over the past two years, give or take, Chicago won't catch Utah in the 2026 tanking race at this rate.
However, given the cap room they will have this summer, they make a lot of sense as a Kessler suitor. The Jazz big man isn't exactly young, but he's only entering his prime, and with what the Bulls already have at their disposal, a rim protector would be exactly what the doctor ordered.
No, Kessler doesn't solve all their problems, but Chicago possesses the NBA's sixth-worst defensive rating. On paper, he would be a start to building a good defense in the Windy City.
The Bulls can push the Jazz out of their comfort zone with Kessler
For months now, all the intel has been that Kessler and the Jazz are very far apart on his next deal. He wants to be paid like a star, and while Utah would like to pay him a sizable sum, they have a more team-friendly figure in mind that Kessler believes is an underpay.
The conundrum for Kessler - besides the fact that Utah will match any offer he gets - will be who could view him that highly to pay him that much. The Wizards and Pacers were in position to, but now they're out. The Bulls are different from the others because they don't just need a center but a center archetype that matches Kessler's.
Hence, they'll probably want to spend money while they can, because they only have 2 years left before they'll have to extend Buzelis. The Jazz may have the advantage with restricted free agency, but the Bulls may be more than happy to force them to pay up for Kessler.
Utah wants to keep Kessler, and they probably will. However, they've made it clear that they want him to stay on their terms, and because the Bulls have little to lose and plenty to gain from adding Kessler, they might force the Jazz to compromise.