Utah Jazz C Walker Kessler Set to Hit Restricted Free Agency

The contract extension deadline for those drafted in the 2022 NBA Draft came and went on October 20th, with the Utah Jazz and starting center Walker Kessler unable to come to an agreement. This sets the 24-year-old up to enter restricted free agency next summer as one of the top players on the market.

It was reported nearly a month ago that the two sides would not agree to a new deal before the deadline; however, at the time, there was still a chance they could rekindle negotiations and meet somewhere in the middle.

That is no longer the case as they’ll have to wait until after the upcoming season before a deal can be agreed to.

Kessler is Utah’s best player under 25 years old and appears to be a key piece of their future. This comes after the Jazz rebuffed several suitors who aggressively attempted to trade for the 7-footer.

One of the best shot blockers in the league, Kessler averaged 11.1 points, 12.2 rebounds, and 1.7 assists per game last season on a highly efficient 66% field goal percentage.

The two areas where Kessler is at his best are as a rim protector and offensive rebounder. Last season, his 2.4 blocks per game trailed only Victor Wembanyama, while his 4.6 offensive rebounds per game were the most in the league. Kessler uses his length, athleticism, and motor to make a big impact around the rim.

A total of nine players from his draft class were able to agree to an extension. Headlined by the max contracts handed out to Paolo Banchero, Jalen Williams, and Chet Holmgren, several other players inked deals for more than $20 million per year for the foreseeable future.

Some notable deals were Jabari Smith Jr., Kessler’s former college teammate, getting a team-friendly $24.4 million average per season from the Rockets. Dyson Daniels, the 2025 NBA Most Improved Player and First Team All-Defense, guard Dyson Daniels got an average of $25 million per season for four years.

It’s unclear how much Kessler and his camp were asking for, but anything over that seems unreasonable.

Fellow big men Jalen Duren from the Detroit Pistons and Mark Williams from the Phoenix Suns, both drafted before Kessler, will also head for restricted free agency next summer.

Duren played a big role in the postseason as the young Pistons pushed the New York Knicks to 6 games. Williams, on the other hand, is looking to stay healthy outside of Charlotte because the 7’2 center is one of the best interior scorers in the league.

Kessler will carry a cap hold of $14.6 million, a number that’s certainly below whatever his next contract will be. This gives the Jazz even more spending power going into a pivotal 2026 offseason. Whether they use that on a marquee player either in free agency or on the trade market, bolster their depth around the youngsters, or just boot it down the road, the Jazz have options.

Ideally, Kessler will play well enough during the upcoming campaign that he keeps himself in those plans.

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