NBA Trade Rumors: Walker Kessler's days with Utah Jazz could be numbered

NBA Trade Rumors: The Utah Jazz could be preparing to trade one of their big-name young frontcourt players.

It's clear that the Utah Jazz entered the NBA offseason with plenty of flexibility and options. You'd have to imagine that they explored upgrading the roster and then checked in on the trade market for Lauri Markkanen. In the end, the Jazz decided to sign Markkanen to a long-term contract extension in hopes they could continue to surround him with a capable supporting cast.

Over the past couple of seasons, the Jazz have managed to assemble an intriguing foundation around Markkanen. Keyonte George, Taylor Hendricks, Collin Sexton, and Brice Sensabaugh have all emerged as potential foundational pieces. One player who has become quite polarizing for the team over the past year is Walker Kessler. And the way this offseason has gone, it would seem as if Kessler's days in a Jazz uniform could be numbered.

According to Eric Pincus of Bleacher Report, with the way the Jazz have shopped Kessler this offseason, it doesn't seem as if he has a future with the team. This is a tad shocking considering how good of a rookie season he had in Utah. Even though his production took a slight step back this past season, it is shocking to hear that the Jazz have seen enough and are ready to trade the 23-year-old big man.

Should the Utah Jazz give up on Walker Kessler?

Kessler averaged eight points, eight rebounds, and two blocks per game on 65 percent shooting from the field this past season. However, during the 2022-23 season, Kessler finished third in NBA Rookie of the Year voting, behind only Paolo Banchero and Jalen Williams.

There are natural questions about his ability to keep up with the quickness and speed of the NBA game but through the first two years of his career, he's been a quality rim-protector for the Jazz. Even despite that, it seems Utah would much rather trade Kessler than have to make a decision on a contract extension.

Kessler becomes eligible for an extension next summer and it appears the Jazz want to avoid having to make that decision. You'd have to imagine that things can still change but if the Jazz get a quality offer for Kessler, it seems they aren't going to hesitate to pull the trigger. The question is, will that end up being the right decision?