Walker Kessler hasn't signed on the dotted line yet for the Utah Jazz, but the latest whispers indicate that he'll be back next season and may even sign on a pretty team-friendly contract. This is big news because if he stays at a lower price, it could make it more likely that Kessler stays on the team.
ESPN's Tim Bontemps reported that Kessler is likely to stay in Utah on a contract that pays around $25 to $30 million. That's solid starter money that could actually be among the best discounts if all goes right for Kessler and Utah.
He might not be a star, but he fills holes that not many players can. Having that kind of player around can keep your title window open, though obviously it wouldn't primarily depend on him to do so. So if he can stick around on an inexpensive deal, that could come in handy when Utah will have to start cutting ties with their expensive players.
The Jazz will cut costs eventually, but Kessler may stick around
Utah doesn't have to think about this for a few more years, but they can't keep this core together for all that long. Eventually, they will have to pay Keyonte George and Ace Bailey when the time comes. Unlike Kessler, they won't mess around with those guys with the immense talent level they have.
But that will likely come at the cost of Lauri Markkanen, who is on a max deal at the moment. There's no telling if this problem will start and end with him, but if Kessler is being paid on an inexpensive deal, that helps the Jazz's chances of keeping him when they cross this bridge.
That's great news because while Kessler may never make an All-Star team (never say never), he is in that tier of irreplaceable NBA players. There are players with similar skillsets as rim protectors and/or rebounders, but not at his level.
Kessler has yet to play for a winning team, which will surely change, but he is the kind of player winning team hate to part ways with. On paper, he should bring contributions that leads to winning basketball.
In the current NBA, teams are more than happy to pay top dollar for their teams but also know they can't do it for long. They also then realize how big of a problem that can be when the stakes are at their highest.
The Boston Celtics had to trade Jrue Holiday to avoid the consequences of being a second tax apron team for three straight years. It was a necessary move, but we saw in the playoffs what happens when dumping a highly valuable yet non-All-Star. What he brought simply couldn't be replaced, and now Bosotn is reeling from a first-round playoff elimination.
Don't be surprised if Utah tries to avoid the same fate with Kessler. If he signs for Bontemps' reported price, that's a great sign that they won't.
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