The Utah Jazz were already known as one of the worst teams in the NBA. After a surprisingly fun, if mediocre, start to the season, Walker Kessler’s season-ending operation certainly increases their chances of fulfilling their prophecy at the bottom. Last night served as a poignant reminder of how dire things could get, as Kessler’s absence from the board was easily exploited by the Detroit Pistons.
The Jazz’s loss to the rising Pistons isn’t exactly a shock, but it was hard not to notice Kessler’s absence in Utah’s case. Kessler is one of the very best rebounders in the league and the Pistons had 13 offensive rebounds in a game decided by 11 points.
This was of course led by one of the NBA’s most promising young big men, Jalen Duren, who not only had 22 rebounds on the night, but seven of which were offensive. Kessler would have had his hands full with Duren, but a betting man would think Duren’s impact wouldn’t have been as strong if the fourth-year Jazz center had been right there in the pit with him.
To be fair, the Jazz aren’t completely devoid of emerging talent. Jusuf Nurkic was quite beastly on the boards last night, collecting 17 on the night. The Jazz will rely on him more now that Kessler is out, but it’s fair to say Kessler is the better option overall.
Utah will certainly feel Kessler’s absence against Western rivals
The Jazz took on what looks like one of the best teams in the Eastern Conference, and while they will also face much less competition in the East as the season progresses, they will also face stiff competition in the West this season.
Nearly every team in the Western Conference wants to make the playoffs this season. The Jazz have indicated that they won’t exactly roll over and die as many thought when the season started, but teams will certainly take advantage of the void left by Kessler as often as possible.
They may not necessarily have centers as talented as Düren, but the Jazz are certainly now aware of how impactful Kessler’s absence is if they weren’t before the Pistons were done with it. While many fans are all in favor of another tank job this season, no one ever wanted Kessler to get hurt to make that happen.
What’s interesting is that while Kessler’s offseason could negatively impact his team in extension negotiations this summer, Utah’s struggles without him could actually be to his advantage considering how poorly they perform without him. If the Jazz end up with a golden prospect, everyone wins!
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