Many are keeping a close eye on how Walker Kessler’s season-ending injury will impact contract negotiations with the Utah Jazz this summer. For now, the Jazz will cross that bridge when they get there, or maybe, as they come to it. Because even if Kessler doesn’t play the rest of the season, he still has enough trade value to attract plenty of suitors.
Ben Anderson of KSL Sports reiterated this when discussing with Kessler how to proceed. He added that teams that plan to win in the future can apply for the Jazz Center.
My initial reaction to Kessler’s season-ending injury was that it would take him off the trade market for teams looking for a win-now piece. However, I overlooked another possibility: Teams looking to win soon — but not this season — could still pursue him.
“Even though Kessler won’t play this year, his $4.8 million contract remains highly tradable. If he signs a multi-year deal worth more than $100 million this summer, that flexibility disappears. So if the Jazz don’t see him as a cornerstone of the future franchise, now is the time to explore trade options — even if his value isn’t yet at its peak,” Anderson wrote.
There are plenty of teams that want a center like Kessler regardless of whether he is a star in the making or not. Having the chance to not only get him if he doesn’t have much impact on their salary cap, but also potentially determine how much they will pay him in the long term has a lot of appeal.
The Jazz would only trade Kessler if the price is right
This is without a doubt a legitimate option for the Jazz. Don’t confuse things, though. The only way Utah will say yes to a Kessler trade is if they get an offer they can’t refuse. They know they have influence on contract negotiations with him, just like they know how good he is.
For that reason, Utah shouldn’t trade Kessler if they get the chance just because they can, but rather because they got a king’s ransom for him. In fact, they’re confident that getting rid of him won’t come back to bite him. So there would be many factors involved in a potential transaction if it were to happen at all.
There should still be a robust market for Kessler if the Jazz make him available at all. Don’t be surprised if trade rumors surface as the season progresses. Whether they would actually go anywhere is anyone’s guess, but don’t be surprised if Utah at least hears from a few teams regardless of how serious they might be about trading Kessler.
#Jazz #reporter #quiet #part #loud #Walker #Kessler #trade