The NBA offseason is in full swing with plenty of headline news in recent days. But rosters are far from complete, as each team seeks to find its missing pieces and complete the roster. One player with plenty of eyes on him is Walker Kessler. A three-year standout on the rebuilding Utah Jazz, Kessler is coming off his best season in which he averaged 11.1 points, 12.2 rebounds and 2.5 blocks per game across his 30.0 minutes per contest.
There have been plenty of big men who have already changed locations this offseason, with the market at a bit of a premium for the position. The Jazz appear keen to capitalize on this and are reportedly driving a steep price point for the third-year center.
With Utah still fairly early in their rebuild, here are three teams that could get in the Walker Kessler business.
Three teams that Should Trade for Walker Kessler:
Indiana Pacers
One of the more shocking moves of the offseason was Myles Turner’s decision to sign with the Milwaukee Bucks for a reported four years and $107 million. Indiana had reportedly been willing to pay the luxury tax for the first time in 20 years to keep this core together. But Tyrese Haliburton’s Achilles’ tear in the NBA Finals, which could keep him out the entire season, seemingly changed these plans. Indiana also likely did not foresee another team making an offer to this level, with Milwaukee needing to waive and stretch Damian Lillard to even open up the money to make this possible.
Turner’s perimeter shooting is a key part of what he brings to the table, and this is not something that Walker Kessler can replace. He has attempted just 56 total three-pointers across his first three seasons in the league, connecting on only 11 of these attempts. But Turner has also been essential to being the anchor of Indiana’s defense, and this is an area where Kessler would be an upgrade. Turner’s defense has been on the decline across the past few seasons, while Kessler is still just 23-years-old. He has not reached his peak as a player.
The entire offense of the Pacers will look different without Haliburton for most of or all of next season. Spacing will not be as important without Haliburton’s tendency to penetrate and kick, and raising the defensive floor should be looked at as a positive. When the franchise star does return, they can always still lean on better spaced lineups with Pascal Siakam and Obi Toppin dominating the frontcourt minutes. But having Kessler as a high-level defensive option would help this team stay afloat in the short term and could provide another level when Haliburton does return. He will be entering the final year of his rookie contract this year, but will likely command far less than Turner, which should appeal to the price-conscious franchise.
Currently, the Pacers hold +11000 odds on DraftKings Sportsbook of winning the NBA Finals next year and +2800 odds of winning the Eastern Conference, the ninth-best odds.
Orlando Magic
The Orlando Magic have been one of the biggest winners of the offseason and are looking to solidify their chances of competing in the wide-open Eastern Conference. They took a big swing by trading for Desmond Bane to help fix their floor spacing issues. Paolo Banchero and Franz Wagner have taken some intriguing strides in their progression. While Wendell Carter Jr. and Goga Bitadze have shown some positive flashes, Walker Kessler would even further raise the floor of this defensive-minded team.
Orlando has climbed to the third-favorite to win the Eastern Conference with +550 odds on DraftKings Sportsbook. There will not be a clearer path than what is expected next season in the conference. The Boston Celtics have been forced to shed salary, and there is no clear timeline for when and if Jayson Tatum returns to the floor next year. Giannis Antetokounmpo’s future is more uncertain than ever before, the Philadelphia 76ers continue to lose the battle with injuries, and the Cleveland Cavaliers have shown their postseason flaws in back-to-back years. If the Magic really want to catapult into true contenders, Kessler’s defensive impact would be another feather to add to their cap.
Putting Kessler as the foundation of an already strong defense could put the Magic on a pathway to the best defense in the league. His 7-foot-1 frame and 7-foot-4 wingspan speak for themselves, with Kessler averaging 2.3 blocks per game or better in all three seasons in the NBA. He also led the league with 4.6 offensive rebounds per game last year. Adding Kessler to the long-term Orlando core has intriguing potential, and he could be the big man of the future that the Magic are still attempting to find.
Los Angeles Lakers
A familiar talking point for Walker Kessler’s destination, but one that makes a lot of sense, is the Los Angeles Lakers. While the Lakers cannot match the current reported asking price for Kessler, if no other team does, the price will eventually come down. Los Angeles is desperate for a big man upgrade with no legitimate NBA center on their current roster. The team nearly took a big swing in trading for Mark Williams last season, but backed out following his medicals not checking out. They entered the playoffs with Jaxson Hayes as their only real big man option, and J.J. Redick elected to pull the plug on this experiment fairly shortly. Getting any serviceable big man should be looked at as a massive improvement for Los Angeles, and Kessler is more than just this.
With LeBron James holding a wandering eye despite opting into his player option, it is in the Lakers’ best interest to operate quickly to restore belief in the future Hall of Famer. The trade opportunity for Luka Doncic fell into their lap midseason last year, which was a no-brainer decision. But the organization did not have the opportunity to build out the roster to complement a player like Doncic, and now has that chance. For the strengths that he does have, Doncic will always leave some to be desired on the defensive end. James is not capable of carrying a defense the way he once did, and having an anchor like Kessler would change the defensive outlook in a major way.
Utah has very few win-now intentions for next season, and it is in their best interest to capitalize on the strong center market this offseason has brought on. The Lakers’ clear desperation is being used against them, with every team aware of the tough situation they find themselves in. While names like Deandre Ayton have been brought up, the former number one overall pick is seemingly the antithesis of what Redick prefers in a basketball player, with Ayton’s lack of motor and effort level incredibly evident. Kessler is about the right things and should be able to impact winning at a higher level. He will be capable as a lob threat around James and Doncic, and the defensive floor he provides changes the outlook of this Lakers team. Ultimately, this feels like the right match for both sides, even if negotiations continue for a bit.
Currently, the Lakers hold +1500 odds of winning the NBA Championship, the seventh-best odds, and +950 odds of winning the Western Conference on DraftKings Sportsbook.
