The Utah Jazz may be fine standing pat for now, but the center spot is still a question worth keeping on the radar. Losing Walker Kessler would ding the team’s ceiling, and while Jusuf Nurkic and Jaxson Hayes give Utah a workable rotation, the real issue is whether that setup can hold up long term.
That’s where Daniel Gafford and Jarrett Allen enter the conversation as possible Kessler replacements. On pure talent, Allen is the stronger player.
He has been the starting center for a Cavaliers team that has reached the playoffs in each of the last four years, while Gafford has made the postseason twice in his career. That gap matters, and it likely helps explain why Cleveland has not made Allen available.
But Utah does not necessarily need a replacement who matches Kessler exactly. The Jazz just need someone who is good enough to fill the role.
Gafford checks that box, and his contract makes the case even stronger. He will make more than $10 million less than Allen this season, and that difference only grows over the next few years. If Gafford can provide enough production to cover for Kessler, Utah would get a useful center on a much cheaper deal than both Kessler and Allen, which could help the front office keep the rest of the core intact.
That matters because building a contender is expensive, and the Jazz will eventually have to start paying some of their players. A center making roughly what he is worth, without pushing the payroll too far, would give Utah more breathing room to hold the group together.
The Jazz would like to keep a foundation of Lauri Markkanen, Jaren Jackson Jr., Keyonte George, Ace Bailey, and Darryn Peterson together for as long as possible. Gafford is not a bargain-bin option, but his salary could help solve a real roster problem over the next few seasons.
There is also the matter of what Utah may or may not want to do for Cleveland. Allen is not currently available, but that could change if the Cavaliers stay good enough to make the playoffs without being a true threat. If they look for upgrades, Allen could be the piece they move.
Utah could be in position to take him, but there is a catch. The Jazz may not want to help Cleveland improve in a deal that could make the Cavaliers better, especially with two more assets still owed to Utah from the Donovan Mitchell trade. LeBron James passing on rejoining them has apparently made those assets more valuable.
Cleveland might trade Allen anyway if the right upgrade comes along, but Utah may prefer not to be part of that process. The Mavericks do not carry that same obligation, which makes Gafford the cleaner target.
For now, Utah does not have to make a move. But if the Jazz get a solid look at this roster and decide the center rotation needs more, Gafford would make more sense than Allen - even if Allen is the better player.
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