Walker Kessler has already proven enough for the Utah Jazz. When they chose not to renew him this summer, many wondered whether that was the smartest strategy. Well, after a quarter of action, Kessler proved in nearly eight minutes of action that the Jazz had to pay him at all costs.
In his short time in the first quarter, Kessler had 13 points, thanks to two threes and showing feel around the basket. No, he didn’t block shots, but showing that he can spread the floor and score in the post shows that there could be more to Kessler’s game that many are giving credit for.
We know about rim protection and we know about rebound. Kessler will never be a go-to guy, but proving he can fill in other parts of the stat sheet is such a game-changer for him and the Jazz. It shows that a player doesn’t necessarily have to be a 20-point scorer to become one of the most impactful players on the field.
Kessler made it clear that he wants to take another step forward as a player. Adding a three-ball to his repertoire does just that, as it makes him more of a two-way center. It also puts more pressure on Utah to keep him by any means necessary.
The Jazz can’t afford to screw up this situation
It’s already been explained that the Jazz simply want to take a more team-friendly approach by waiting until next summer with Kessler because they can pursue a free agent and extend him. However, this also opened the door for Kessler to shine even more as a player, which, if he proves he has other equipment, will force Utah to pay for him.
Whatever happens, there’s a good chance Kessler will be a Jazzman next year, but the team shouldn’t give him any hint of a potential departure when his next contract expires. Kessler shows that this new development is 100% legit and that Utah wouldn’t do itself any favors by botching its next deal.
Very rarely does a team get the opportunity to retain a relatively young center who has shown himself to be a do-it-all player. Utah may be playing the long game with their plans to build their next competitor, but Kessler has shown more than enough, and in just a quarter of the action, he’s made it clear that the Jazz have no choice in paying him every penny he wants.
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