Walker Kessler, Jazz end extension talks, making him a restricted free agent in 2026

[Billl]

With Kessler, there may be some debate about what a rim-protecting, rim-running center is worth. The Jazz moved on from Gobert in large part because Ainge didn't think that type of player should be maxed or near-maxed. Jarrett Allen might be one comparable, and his second contract has been at $20M/year for 5 years. He now has an extension at an average of $30M/year that will kick in a year from now. Myles Turner is at $25M/year as a big that can space the floor as well as defend the rim.

The Jazz front office is also largely from Boston. They like 5s who can play out on the perimeter to space the floor on offense, guys like Horford and Porzingis.

I think the Jazz would readily give Walker $20M/year, and I think Walker's camp wants closer to $30M. The Jazz will see if the market gives Walker that kind of deal. If he gets it, the Jazz will likely match, unless they end up drafting someone like Chris Cenac. In the meantime, the Jazz maintain some more cap flexibility, currently around $14M in extra space. The new apron rules really punish teams for overpaying their 4th and 5th best players.

As a restricted free agent, Walker doesn't have much leverage to force a deal. That said, restricted free agency will allow another team to dictate years and a player option, which the Jazz must be willing to concede. It can also dampen the relationship with Walker as a player though, something the Jazz experienced when they did the same with Gordon Hayward.

Except, as we've seen with RFA this year, those aren't the only possible outcomes. Besides for alienating the player, you can also end up in a standoff where everyone loses. There is no guarantee that another team is going to bail the jazz out by making a reasonable offer to him and then letting the team match.

[Daddy 801]

I always appreciate your insight eminence, and especially on your team, and so I apologize for my pessimism.

I have to say though, if I'm Kessler, none of what you say would make me want to stay, and I'd say the same is true at this point toward everyone on the roster. Doing an extended tank will naturally do this to you, because the whole roster knows that your real priority is a player who isn't on the roster yet.

Doesn't mean it's not worth it if the ping pong ball bounces right, but you have to know you're killing the relationships with your actual players when you do this stuff.

The Jazz may be able to use RFA to re-sign Kessler, but going forward, I'd have zero loyalty to a team that had allowed me to become the talk of the league in my rookie year, only to tank harder the next two and seem to prioritize others over me.

Meanwhile the guy they ended up getting in the tank, Ace Bailey, probably isn't going to want to stay there long term no matter what happens.

I'm someone who said Ainge deserved EOY for the year in which he acquired Lauri & drafted Kessler while getting a ton of draft picks, but at this point, my guess is that the next time the Jazz are a contender, it won't have any of their '25-26 core on the roster.

It's crazy to me that someone can start out making such good moves, but then with the same mentality, ruin it within the span of two years.

I think restricted free agency is going to be so common with the new CBA that players feeling disrespected isn’t going to be as prominent as it once was. The CBA is forcing GM’s to all have to play hardball with the salary cap and the players aren’t stupid. Walker may want to get paid now but I’m sure he is fully aware that to build a competitive team the GM has to use available cap space to acquire other players. I guess it’s a risk the Jazz have in not resigning him now, but it’s the same problem all teams are now facing. And now that all teams are facing that situation it’s not going to be seen as such a slap in the face. Plus Walker being upset still means the Jazz are going to have him for years to come when he signs the next contract and who knows where the Jazz will be as a team once his next contract is coming up for an extension. Ideally they are a good team in 4-5 years and resigning is a no brainer. Or Walker is playing great and the Jazz move him in 2-4 years before his contract expires. Either way the Jazz will have control of Walker for years to come.

If Walker wasn’t a RFA I would be worried about this situation. I’m just not worried at the moment. We’re years and years away from it even potentially becoming an issue IMO.

Maybe I’m just being optimistic but I think I’m just being realistic.

To be clear, the original slap in the face was benching Kessler in his sophomore year so that the franchise could pursue new adventures in losing. The fact that after that they played hardball with Kessler would just make me want to burn the building down on top of that.

My observation and what I heard from podcasts, etc was Kessler was just struggling and having a down year compared to his first year and wasn’t getting as much playing time because of that. Not he was being benched to lose or whatever.

However since yesterday the Jazz had media day and apparently Kessler admits he is frustrated with the Jazz organization so maybe not extending him is a larger issue than I thought. We’ll see I guess. I still would do what the Jazz are doing if I was the GM. They need the ability to use the cap space. If they don’t use it in an effective way it’s going to be a bad decision, but they have to leave the chance they use it on the table.

[eminence]

Yeah, media day made me more concerned.

Hardy's answers about improving the defense were also pretty bad.

[Doctor MJ]

I think restricted free agency is going to be so common with the new CBA that players feeling disrespected isn’t going to be as prominent as it once was. The CBA is forcing GM’s to all have to play hardball with the salary cap and the players aren’t stupid. Walker may want to get paid now but I’m sure he is fully aware that to build a competitive team the GM has to use available cap space to acquire other players. I guess it’s a risk the Jazz have in not resigning him now, but it’s the same problem all teams are now facing. And now that all teams are facing that situation it’s not going to be seen as such a slap in the face. Plus Walker being upset still means the Jazz are going to have him for years to come when he signs the next contract and who knows where the Jazz will be as a team once his next contract is coming up for an extension. Ideally they are a good team in 4-5 years and resigning is a no brainer. Or Walker is playing great and the Jazz move him in 2-4 years before his contract expires. Either way the Jazz will have control of Walker for years to come.

If Walker wasn’t a RFA I would be worried about this situation. I’m just not worried at the moment. We’re years and years away from it even potentially becoming an issue IMO.

Maybe I’m just being optimistic but I think I’m just being realistic.

To be clear, the original slap in the face was benching Kessler in his sophomore year so that the franchise could pursue new adventures in losing. The fact that after that they played hardball with Kessler would just make me want to burn the building down on top of that.

My observation and what I heard from podcasts, etc was Kessler was just struggling and having a down year compared to his first year and wasn’t getting as much playing time because of that. Not he was being benched to lose or whatever.

However since yesterday the Jazz had media day and apparently Kessler admits he is frustrated with the Jazz organization so maybe not extending him is a larger issue than I thought. We’ll see I guess. I still would do what the Jazz are doing if I was the GM. They need the ability to use the cap space. If they don’t use it in an effective way it’s going to be a bad decision, but they have to leave the chance they use it on the table.

You're post is full of good reasonable thought and I applaud your open mind in an uncomfortable situation.

But I have to insist that everything the Jazz did the past two years was primarily about tanking for Cooper Flagg, so it's not a question of whether Kessler was benched because he wasn't playing good enough - that would be a reason to start him not bench him.

Doesn't mean that benching him wasn't part of the best possible process for his growth as a player - it might have been - but he wasn't their top priority, and if benching him would have made the team better, they wouldn't have done it.

[Ball4life32]

Value isn’t in a vacuum however. Value is in the eyes of the parties negotiating it. In this scenario, Hawks need to value the upgrade that is Gobert from Porzingis. If they do, what value do they offer Wolves for their downgrade to Porzingis. Daniels is the player Wolves want as an upgrade. But if Daniels is too much value for Hawks - does DDV close that value gap. Hawks after all signed NAW who can backfill some of Daniels deliverables - DDV as combo close that gap for them?

Why do the Hawks need to upgrade? Porzingis is really good and they have Okongwu. They don't need a center.

That is up for Hawks to decide. If they loved Okongwu they wouldn’t have traded for Porzingis. So an upgrade was in order - is Porzingis enough.

Or Hawks watched Okongwu play 20 straight mins in that last play in game. No capela and their 3rd string C Dominic Barlow was awful. Also Porzingis can actually play minutes with Okongwu while Gobert can’t…so don’t see anyway hawks valuing 33 yr old Gobert close to this. Not to mention hawks gave a 1st for Porzingis so they clearly value him.
.

[MrOrange]

Why do the Hawks need to upgrade? Porzingis is really good and they have Okongwu. They don't need a center.

That is up for Hawks to decide. If they loved Okongwu they wouldn’t have traded for Porzingis. So an upgrade was in order - is Porzingis enough.

Or Hawks watched Okongwu play 20 straight mins in that last play in game. No capela and their 3rd string C Dominic Barlow was awful. Also Porzingis can actually play minutes with Okongwu while Gobert can’t…so don’t see anyway hawks valuing 33 yr old Gobert close to this. Not to mention hawks gave a 1st for Porzingis so they clearly value him.
.

Porzingis provides Hawks with something that Gobert never would: a legit 3p shot and stretching the floor for Trae and others to operate and drive. If they were interested in a Gobert-type player (a paint clogger), they would have gone for one.

[jayu70]

Value isn’t in a vacuum however. Value is in the eyes of the parties negotiating it. In this scenario, Hawks need to value the upgrade that is Gobert from Porzingis. If they do, what value do they offer Wolves for their downgrade to Porzingis. Daniels is the player Wolves want as an upgrade. But if Daniels is too much value for Hawks - does DDV close that value gap. Hawks after all signed NAW who can backfill some of Daniels deliverables - DDV as combo close that gap for them?

Why do the Hawks need to upgrade? Porzingis is really good and they have Okongwu. They don't need a center.

That is up for Hawks to decide. If they loved Okongwu they wouldn’t have traded for Porzingis. So an upgrade was in order - is Porzingis enough.

Hawks have made their Center rotation upgrade by adding Porzingas to Okongwu. He offers more offensive versatility than Capela did (who is similar to Rudy) and is a plus defender. Hawks needed a center to open up driving lanes for their plethora of wings and guards - Rudy does the opposite.
The Trae/Dyson pairing is ideal for the Hawks
Hawks pass on Gobert.

[jayu70]

That is up for Hawks to decide. If they loved Okongwu they wouldn’t have traded for Porzingis. So an upgrade was in order - is Porzingis enough.

Or Hawks watched Okongwu play 20 straight mins in that last play in game. No capela and their 3rd string C Dominic Barlow was awful. Also Porzingis can actually play minutes with Okongwu while Gobert can’t…so don’t see anyway hawks valuing 33 yr old Gobert close to this. Not to mention hawks gave a 1st for Porzingis so they clearly value him.
.

Porzingis provides Hawks with something that Gobert never would: a legit 3p shot and stretching the floor for Trae and others to operate and drive. If they were interested in a Gobert-type player (a paint clogger), they would have gone for one.

Hawks had one in Capela and let him walk in FAcy.

[Catchall]

Yeah, media day made me more concerned.

Hardy's answers about improving the defense were also pretty bad.

Jazz aren't very serious about improving their defense, imo. Blowing off defense is part of their tanking strategy.

[SlimShady83]

Just trade him to the Lakers already:)

Anyteam but Bos,Den,Clip

[Catchall]

Just trade him to the Lakers already:)

Anyteam but Bos,Den,Clip

Jazz may trade him, but I doubt it's to the Lakers.

[Daddy 801]

Just trade him to the Lakers already:)

Anyteam but Bos,Den,Clip

Jazz may trade him, but I doubt it's to the Lakers.

Lakers don’t have what the Jazz would want. They value unprotected picks that have a higher rather than low probability of actual hitting the lotto. LA with Luka is not a good team to trade with and get picks. If they owed picks from other teams it would be a different story. But as of now…don’t want the players back always mentioned in the trade scenarios with LA and LA’s own picks are most likely 15-30. Why get a pick that doesn’t convey for a half decade that is probably like #22 in the draft. Pass.

[NUMBERICA]

I would like to retain Walker at a fair market rate under the current conditions (a bit under $30 mil a year), but it is very much worth noting that he has played virtually no minutes of consequence and is a hackably-bad free throw shooter.

But already one of the best basic centers in the NBA… but basic nonetheless.

The Jazz should’ve already traded him if they were going to do that, they now need to extend him as he will likely outplay a reasonably hefty deal.

[SlimShady83]

Just trade him to the Lakers already:)

Anyteam but Bos,Den,Clip

Jazz may trade him, but I doubt it's to the Lakers.

Lakers don’t have what the Jazz would want. They value unprotected picks that have a higher rather than low probability of actual hitting the lotto. LA with Luka is not a good team to trade with and get picks. If they owed picks from other teams it would be a different story. But as of now…don’t want the players back always mentioned in the trade scenarios with LA and LA’s own picks are most likely 15-30. Why get a pick that doesn’t convey for a half decade that is probably like #22 in the draft. Pass.

We'll see

[SkyHook]

Jazz may trade him, but I doubt it's to the Lakers.

Lakers don’t have what the Jazz would want. They value unprotected picks that have a higher rather than low probability of actual hitting the lotto. LA with Luka is not a good team to trade with and get picks. If they owed picks from other teams it would be a different story. But as of now…don’t want the players back always mentioned in the trade scenarios with LA and LA’s own picks are most likely 15-30. Why get a pick that doesn’t convey for a half decade that is probably like #22 in the draft. Pass.

We'll see

You continue to crack me up, brother!

[SlimShady83]

We'll see

You continue to crack me up, brother!

lol gotta have some fun, can't always be serious, but like I said above, as long as it's not; Bos, Den, Clip, I'm cool to where ever he goes, can't wait to see the end result

[Catchall]

Just trade him to the Lakers already:)

Anyteam but Bos,Den,Clip

Jazz may trade him, but I doubt it's to the Lakers.

Lakers don’t have what the Jazz would want. They value unprotected picks that have a higher rather than low probability of actual hitting the lotto. LA with Luka is not a good team to trade with and get picks. If they owed picks from other teams it would be a different story. But as of now…don’t want the players back always mentioned in the trade scenarios with LA and LA’s own picks are most likely 15-30. Why get a pick that doesn’t convey for a half decade that is probably like #22 in the draft. Pass.

The Jazz already have the Lakers '27 pick. And yeah, since that Luka trade the Lakers will be a low-level playoff team for a while with picks in the late teens or low 20s.

[SlimShady83]

The Jazz already have the Lakers '27 pick. And yeah, since that Luka trade the Lakers will be a low-level playoff team for a while with picks in the late teens or low 20s.

Lakers have yet to offer Reaves in a trade for Kessler, I bet if Lakers were to do so, FRP and pick swap, I bet any money Ainge would do so, because I think Ainge likes Reaves . I'm just high on Kessler

[Catchall]

The Jazz already have the Lakers '27 pick. And yeah, since that Luka trade the Lakers will be a low-level playoff team for a while with picks in the late teens or low 20s.

Lakers have yet to offer Reaves in a trade for Kessler, I bet if Lakers were to do so, FRP and pick swap, I bet any money Ainge would do so, because I think Ainge likes Reaves . I'm just high on Kessler

I think if the Jazz move Kessler, it will be next offseason around the draft. The Jazz most likely want Peterson or Dybantsa (though I think they'd also take Boozer, Yessoufou, Ament and maybe Brown). If the Jazz end up with a big like Cenac, that would accelerate their decision to trade Walker. In any case, they'll need to see where their roster stands. There's a chance they'll accelerate their timeline after the next draft, in which case they may want to keep Walker.

I think what's happening is that the Jazz want to pay Walker $20 - $25M/year and Walker's camp wants $30M+, so there's a stand-off at the moment.

The Lakers have been trying to get Kessler for more than a year already. If that deal were going to happen it probably would have by now.

[Daddy 801]

The Jazz already have the Lakers '27 pick. And yeah, since that Luka trade the Lakers will be a low-level playoff team for a while with picks in the late teens or low 20s.

Lakers have yet to offer Reaves in a trade for Kessler, I bet if Lakers were to do so, FRP and pick swap, I bet any money Ainge would do so, because I think Ainge likes Reaves . I'm just high on Kessler

Why would he be high on Reaves? He’s the exact type of player that if he wasn’t in LA he would get no hype and no one would talk about him.

The Jazz have a ton of young guards and wings to find out who they want to keep and he would logjam the situation. And they have one true young center in Kessler. I see no scenario where Ainge is excited about Reaves. And no situation where giving up your only young center results in one late lotto pick that MIGHT replace Kessler.

Picks with lotto potential are worth a lot. Picks likely to be in the 15 or 20+ range….not so much. And trading Kessler just means the LA pick is even more likely to be even later in the draft. Makes no sense.

Wishful thinking on your part though!!!