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Walker Kessler Rumors
Walker Kessler's asking price too steep for Lakers
Jovan Buha on Jazz: I’ve just heard nothing but they want two picks plus a young player for Walker Kessler. So the Lakers cannot do that trade. They can give one pick and one young player and a swap. You could throw in a couple swaps. I probably would try to hold off on the later swaps, but I would maybe throw in three swaps like just or and take away the protections on the top four pick in in 2027, but I just don't know if that's going to be enough for Utah.
But rumors swirled this week, linking L.A. to trade talks with the Utah Jazz for center Walker Kessler and the Miami Heat for wing Andrew Wiggins, and representatives for both Reaves and Vincent were not contacted about any of the teams involved, sources told ESPN, which is customary when a trade nears the finish line.
Andy Larsen of The Salt Lake Tribune unpacks a few potential trades that Utah brass has at least discussed on Thursday’s installment of the Locked On Jazz podcast. Larsen suggests that the Jazz have had preliminary conversations with the Lakers about a Walker Kessler or John Collins trade, the Mavericks about a Collin Sexton deal, and the Sixers regarding a possible trade up for the No. 3 pick, among other potential exchanges.
However, acquiring the 23-year-old center appears to be a significant challenge, primarily due to the LA Lakers' limited trade assets and the Jazz's high asking price. "I think the issue with Walker Kessler and with Utah in general is their asking prices tend to be higher, and I think trading for Lauri [Markkanen] or Walker is going to be a high price," The Athletic's Jovan Buha noted on his latest Q&A session. The beat writer then confirmed that LA targeted Kessler last year. "Going back to last season, I reported that the Lakers had had interest in Walker previously, and they had inquired about him to the Jazz, and the feedback they got was the starting price, not the final price. The starting price was the equivalent of two+ first-round picks," Buha explained. According to the reporter, a package centered around Dalton Knecht and a single first-round pick would likely not be enough to entice Utah.
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Multiple team sources, interviewed by The Athletic, provided some answers. Utah isn’t currently sure where it will take its roster once the offseason hits. But, it can go one of two ways. One is to build around forward Lauri Markkanen with a veteran-laden core. In that case, expect the Jazz to hit the market and attempt to secure veteran help to bolster their roster. The other way is to double down on the Jazz’s many young players on their roster: Keyonte George, Isaiah Collier, Walker Kessler, Taylor Hendricks and Kyle Filipowski, along with last year’s lottery pick, Cody Williams.
Walker Kessler on Nikola Jokic: The way he can manipulate the game and get guys (involved)… And again we're a young team so I don't know if those same pitfalls happen with an older team, but with my experience, he'll get our young guys to bite on stuff that he like wants them to bite on and then meanwhile he's got a back door to Aaron Gordon or something like that. And then his ability to make shots in that little float. As a shot blocker, he's so tough to block because he's so good at keeping the ball away and it doesn't look like it's going to go in. And his touch around the rim is just impeccable.
Walker Kessler on his girlfriend winning Miss America: So this is crazy. So obviously I'm in the West and we play at Orlando one time during the season. And it happens where her finals night when they named like they crowned Miss America was the night that I played in Orlando. And so after the game I talked to coach was like, "Hey coach would it be cool if I could stay the night?" Because we had the next day off because it was at the end of a road trip. The way it land like the way it all fell out is like a crazy coincidence. And coach was like, "Yeah, man of course, just fly back tomorrow after the game."
Tim Reynolds: Random stat ... Victor Wembanyama hasn't played since February. And he still has more blocked shots than anyone else this season, even including playoffs. Wemby 176, Myles Turner 165, Brook Lopez 154, Walker Kessler 138
Utah could have over $70 million in cap space in 2026, and despite the low $14.6 million free agent hold of Walker Kessler, the Jazz can be aggressive. Kessler is the first player to average at least two blocks per game in each of his first three NBA seasons since Tim Duncan from 1997-2000. He also averaged a career high in points (11.1), rebounds (12.2) and assists (1.7) and shot 66.3% from the field, the highest in the NBA.
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Andy Larsen: Jazz injury report vs. Houston: Jordan Clarkson, John Collins, Elijah Harkless, Lauri Markkanen, Micah Potter, Oscar Tshiebwe, Cody Williams all out. Walker Kessler, Collin Sexton (tuberosity), Jaden Springer questionable.
Sarah Todd: At Jazz practice today in Charlotte, Lauri Markkanen, John Collins and Walker Kessler all participated in portions of practice. But, Lauri didn't finish practice because of knee soreness, and Walker is still sick.
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