Walker Kessler has already proven plenty for the Utah Jazz. When they opted not to extend him this summer, many wondered whether that was the smartest strategy. Well, after one quarter of action, Kessler proved in almost eight minutes of action that the Jazz must pay him at all costs.
In his short time in the first quarter, Kessler had 13 points, thanks to two threes and showing some feel around the basket. No he didn't block any shots, but showing that he can space the floor and he can score in the post demonstrates that there could be more to Kessler's game that many are giving it credit for.
We know about the rim protecting and we know about the rebounding. Kessler's never going to be a go-to guy, but proving he can fill other areas of the stat sheet is such a game-changer for him and the Jazz. It shows that a player doesn't necessarily have to be a 20-point scorer to become one of the most impactful players on the court.
Kessler made it clear that he wants to take another step forward as a player. Adding a three-ball to his repertoire does exactly that, as it turns him into more of a two-way center. It also puts more pressure on Utah to keep him by any means necessary.
The Jazz can't afford to mess this situation up
It has already been explained that the Jazz simply want to take a more team-friendly approach by waiting until next summer with Kessler because they can pursue a free agent and extend him. However, doing so also opened the door for Kessler to shine even more as a player, which, if he proves he has another gear, will force Utah to pay up for him.
No matter what happens, odds are Kessler will be a Jazzman for next year, but the team shouldn't let him get any ideas of potentially leaving when his next contract is up. Kessler is showing that this new development is 100% legitimate and Utah would do itself no favors by messing up on his next deal.
Very rarely does a team get the chance to keep a relatively young center who has shown that he is the jack-of-all-trades. Utah may be playing the long game with their plans of building their next contender, but Kessler has shown more than enough, and in only one quarter of action, he's made it clear that the Jazz have no choice to pay him every penny he wants.