Insider: Jazz C Walker Kessler ‘Possible Trade Candidate’ for Knicks

The Utah Jazz made some interesting headlines earlier this offseason when young big man Walker Kessler’s name entered into trade whispers as a potential mover, and those talks look to continue with the latest tidbit surrounding a team out East.

That team with the latest connection to Kessler stems from one of the Eastern Conference’s best teams of last season– the New York Knicks.

SNY’s Ian Begley made an intriguing note linking the two sides when sorting out some center options that could intrigue the Knicks ahead of the coming season, as Kessler appeared among several other contenders who could make sense to join aboard in New York:

“I’d keep an eye on Nik Richards in Charlotte as a possible trade candidate. Same goes for Walker Kessler in Utah. As ESPN’s Brian Windhorst noted, Robert Williams is a name to monitor. Maybe Jonas Valunciunas? I’m a little surprised that the Knicks haven’t signed a veteran backup center at this point. They have opened a championship window here with the Bridges trade. It would surprise me if they waited until the trade deadline to address the center position.”

– Ian Begley, SNY

Kessler is coming off his season season with the Jazz where he averaged 8.1 points, 7.5 rebounds, and 2.4 blocks within just over 23 minutes a night– appearing in a total of 64 games.

We didn’t quite see the major year-two jump expected of Kessler last season, which has ultimately led to the trade chatter lingering around the 23-year-old as questions loom around his long-term progression. As a result, the Knicks could be a team to watch to make a move on the young center to fill their pending void at big following the loss of Isaiah Hartenstein.

As to what the package New York could send for Kessler’s services, that may be a bit foggy considering this front office parted ways with a majority of their coveted future draft capital earlier this offseason for Mikal Bridges. If the Jazz could find a route to securing some future picks and/or young players in return for the 2022 first-rounder, a move could be made, but there’s no guarantee.

Of course, there’s also a world where Kessler can remain on the roster for the Jazz and have a bounce-back year three campaign. Kessler has a much better opportunity to secure an increased amount of minutes and an enhanced role on both ends as the Jazz continue to prioritize their young talent, and if so, his long-term future can look much brighter in Salt Lake City.

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