According to Chris Haynes, Utah Jazz big man Walker Kessler will undergo season-ending shoulder surgery. ESPN’s Shams Charania clarified that the injury is a torn labrum. Kessler was enjoying an incredible start to the 2025-26 season before missing the Jazz’s last two games against the Charlotte Hornets and Boston Celtics.
Prior to his injury, Kessler had appeared in five games for Utah, starting all of them, and playing 30.8 minutes per contest. He was averaging 14.4 points, 10.8 rebounds, 3.0 assists, 1.4 steals, and 1.8 blocks while shooting 70.3% from the field. The big man was also shooting 75.0% from three on a career-high 1.6 attempts per game (6-of-8 total).
Now, the situation could get very dicey for him and the Jazz.
What does Walker Kessler injury mean?
At the simplest of levels, losing Kessler puts a huge dent into the Jazz’s chances of fielding a competitive season. They looked solid through the first couple of weeks of the year, but now, they’ll have to adapt.
Utah has averaged 49.6 rebounds per game through their first seven games, which sits atop the NBA rankings. Without Kessler, however, that number seems like it should inevitably dip.
Kyle Filipowski will undoubtedly step into a much larger role now, which could be good for his development. He’s looked like a steal of a pick since the Jazz drafted him last summer.
Unfortunately for Kessler, this type of injury could not have come at a worse time. Not only was he having a great start to the year, but his contract is up at the end of the season.
This season was supposed to be his chance to prove his worth to the Jazz in terms of contract value, but now, he will have to enter offseason contact negotiations fresh off a season of almost zero basketball.
On the one hand, his hot start to the year and history of being a solid defensive presence down low (and force on the glass) should speak volumes. On the other hand, he may not be able to get as much money as he otherwise would have had he stayed healthy.
Utah has been cementing its young core over the past few years, and with the way he was performing to start this season, Kessler looked like a solidified part of it.
But now, anything could happen. There’s no telling what the Jazz will want to do this summer.