Sources: Jazz-Kessler stalled despite $140M offer
Key takeaways
- A gulf remains between restricted free agent center Walker Kessler and the Jazz after Utah put an offer worth roughly $140 million over five years on the table, sources told ESPN.
- It would be the largest contact ever given to a center who had yet to be an All-Star.
- The 7-foot-2 Kessler has proved to be one of the NBA's premier shot blockers and rebounders.
Why this matters: a sports story that could shift standings, legacies, or fan conversations.
A gulf remains between restricted free agent center Walker Kessler and the Jazz after Utah put an offer worth roughly $140 million over five years on the table, sources told ESPN.
It would be the largest contact ever given to a center who had yet to be an All-Star. The Jazz have the right to match any offer sheet that Kessler signs as a restricted free agent.
The 7-foot-2 Kessler has proved to be one of the NBA's premier shot blockers and rebounders. He played in only five games last season before having season-ending shoulder surgery, but he ranked second in the league in blocks (2.4) and fifth in rebounds (12.2) in 2024-25, when he averaged 11.1 points while shooting 66.3% from the floor.