Blockbuster Anthony Davis trade creates a huge Walker Kessler wrinkle for the Jazz

Despite the fact that he was with Jaren Jackson Jr. has acquired one of the league’s best defensemen, there is no reason to think such a trade will have any impact on Walker Kessler’s return to the Utah Jazz. Even if Kessler gets the richest deal possible, the Jazz are in line to match it. That is a harsh reality as old as time, with limited freedom of choice.

And now it’s going to be even harder for Kessler to get the kind of money he wants this summer. Previously, intelligence suggested that the Washington Wizards were planning to pursue Kessler this offseason. Now that probably won’t be the case anymore after the acquisition of Anthony Davis.

Davis runs through next season (and likely the season after that), so acquiring him, along with Trae Young, takes the Wizards out of the running in free agency. That means Kessler has one less candidate, and not many other teams will have the same cap room as the Wizards did before trading for Davis, making it easier for the Jazz to not only re-sign him, but also at their price.

After the Jackson trade, it’s easy to see the long-term vision for this Utah team. The combination of him and Kessler in the frontcourt is very exciting, especially for a team that has struggled to build a legitimate defense after trading Rudy Gobert.

Kessler should also be able to cover up Jackson’s shortcomings as he is an elite rebounder who will be paired with one of the NBA’s worst rebounders. Jackson will also be able to roam the floor on defense, leaving Kessler to protect the rim where he belongs. Offensively, Jackson’s spacing should make it even easier to dominate down low.

Utah wants to build a winner, and they found someone who raises both the floor and the ceiling, complementing Kessler perfectly. And now it’s more likely than ever that the Jazz will get him for the price they want. What’s not to like about this situation?

Oh yeah, this sucks for Kessler

There’s no information suggesting Kessler doesn’t want to stay in Utah, but he confirmed in September that he was frustrated that he and Utah couldn’t come to an agreement on a contract extension. Granted, part of that was Utah planning to be a free agency player (not anymore), but Kessler has lost a lot of leverage in his next deal.

The Jazz will do their best not to let this happen, like Golden State did with Jonathan Kuminga, but they have every reason to play hardball, so now Kessler will most likely have to agree to take less than what he thinks he’s owed.

The Jazz know it would be foolish to pay him what the Warriors paid Kuminga because he is more valuable than him and less expendable. But pending any surprises, Kessler will likely make a deal that he believes is less than what he’s worth.

It will still be exciting to see how he impacts Utah’s future in the coming years, but he is really a matter of circumstance, like almost every player who has entered restricted free agency.