The Utah Jazz have made several significant changes since being eliminated in the first round of the NBA Playoffs in 2022. Head coach Quin Snyder has been replaced by Will Hardy, but the more impactful changes came from trading Donovan Mitchell and Rudy Gobert.
These moves have led the Jazz from winning 49 games in 2022 to 37 in 2023 and 31 last season. Needless to say, the Jazz are still searching for their new identity in the post-Mitchell/Gobert era.
It’s not like the Jazz don’t have plenty of youthful talent that could develop into stars, we just haven’t seen it quite yet. Plus, the very moment that the Jazz decided to make those blockbuster trades, expectations cratered, especially since most of the assets that were recovered wouldn’t pay out right away.
Yet, the Jazz still did land several intriguing players via trade, and now one of them is reportedly already on the trade block.
Related: Brian Windhorst drops another strong hint about the next major NBA transaction
Utah Jazz listening to trade offers for Walker Kessler
One of the centerpieces the Utah Jazz recovered from trading Rudy Gobert to the Minnesota Timberwolves was then-rookie Walker Kessler, who was selected 22nd overall in the 2022 NBA Draft. The 7-foot-center was a dominant rim protector in college, where he won the Naismith Defensive Player of the Year award.
Two years into his career, it’s safe to say Kessler’s shot-blocking ability has translated very well to the NBA. Even as a rookie, Kessler averaged 2.3 blocks per game last year, which increased to 2.4 BPG. But he barely played, with Utah only feeding him 22 minutes per game; still, when translated to a 36-minute average, Kessler’s BPG skies to 3.7.
Yet, according to Yahoo’s Jake Fischer, now the Jazz may be willing to consider trading the 22-year-old shot-blocking wizard.
“Rival teams believe Utah is willing to engage in trade talks that would part ways with Jazz second-year center Walker Kessler.”
Jake Fischer on Utah Jazz/Walker Kessler trade rumors
Without knowing what other moves the Jazz have up their sleeves, it’s a bit shocking to learn Utah is already considering moving on from Kessler. They don’t have a ready-make replacement on the roster, and while Lauri Markkanen is also seven-feet tall, he profiles much better as a power forward thanks to his perimeter scoring ability and lack of rim protection.
Yet, it’s a long offseason, and the Jazz do possess just over $38 million in cap space, which allows them to get aggressive in free agency. Utah also holds the 10th, 29th, and 32nd overall picks in the 2024 NBA Draft. With that much flexibility, it makes sense that the Jazz are keeping all their options open ahead of a busy summer.