The Utah Jazz are reportedly asking for two first-round draft picks in return for third-year center Walker Kessler, according to NBA rumors. Teams are also targeting other Utah players like Lauri Markkanen, Jordan Clarkson, John Collins, and Collin Sexton.
NBA Rumors: Utah Jazz Are Wanting More Than Two First-Round Draft Picks For Breakout Center Walker Kessler?
Kessler, 23, is currently in the third season of the four-year, $13.37 million rookie-scale contract that he signed with the Jazz in July 2022. To make matters worse for inquiring teams, the steep price for Kessler could be even higher, per Michael Scotto of HoopsHype.
“Teams gauging Kessler’s availability in Utah have come away with the sense that it’ll take at least two first-round picks to pry him from the Jazz, a high asking price in their eyes,” Scotto wrote.
Needless to say, teams are more likely to trade for one or two Jazz stars rather than the four trade-eligible players. If Markkanen gets scratched off teams’ wish list, that would leave Clarkson, Collins, Sexton, and Markkanen.
However, due to collective bargaining agreement rules, Markkanen cannot be traded until the offseason, at the earliest, after signing his five-year, $238 million contract extension in August.
None of the five aforementioned Jazz players will be easy for interested teams to acquire, since Danny Ainge is the organization’s CEO of basketball operations/alternate governor.
Jazz Received Five First-Round Draft Picks From The Minnesota Timberwolves In The Rudy Gobert Trade
During the 2022 offseason, the Jazz acquired Kessler from the Minnesota Timberwolves in the Rudy Gobert trade, and also received Malik Beasley, Patrick Beverley, Leandro Bolmaro, Jarred Vanderbilt, and five first-round draft picks (2023, 2025-27, 2029).
More first-rounders could soon be on their way. Despite Utah’s 4-16 record at the moment, Ainge is still in full control of his struggling roster. He knows Clarkson and Sexton are two of his most sought-after players. NBA insider Marc Stein talked about this in his Sunday Stein Line newsletter.
“The league wide presumption about the Jazz nonetheless persists that Collins — like fellow veterans Jordan Clarkson and Collin Sexton — is a prime candidate to be dealt between now and the Feb. 6 trade deadline by Jazz CEO Danny Ainge… The Jazz are said to be pleased with Collins’ play and glad that they took his contract on from Atlanta for the very nominal cost of one future second-round pick.”
Through 14 games (all starts) this season, Kessler is averaging career highs of 10.5 points, 10.4 rebounds, 1.4 assists, and 28.4 minutes per contest while shooting a career-best 72.7% from the field.
