Walker Kessler’s exit has been the loudest part of Utah’s offseason, but it hasn’t been the whole story.
The Jazz lost the starting center they drafted, developed, and were prepared to keep on a big-money deal - just not one that climbed all the way to the $32.5 million per season he ultimately got. Kessler is now with the Los Angeles Lakers, and that move has dominated the conversation. But Utah’s decision to pass on that price tag and instead turn him into two first-round picks and a pair of pick swaps may end up looking like the cleaner basketball move.
There’s no denying what Kessler brought. He leaves a real hole in the middle, especially on the glass and at the rim.
Over four seasons in Utah, he posted career averages of 13.2 rebounds, 4.8 offensive rebounds, and 3.4 blocks per 36 minutes. That kind of production doesn’t just disappear without consequence.
Still, the Jazz didn’t spend the summer standing still.
Utah now has an All-Star frontcourt built around Jaren Jackson Jr. and Lauri Markkanen. Jackson gives them a defensive anchor, while Markkanen remains the engine on the offensive end.
Rebounding may still be a problem, but the Jazz clearly chose flexibility over panic. They drafted a player with star-level upside, added veterans on team-friendly deals, and kept themselves in position to make another move if the right center becomes available later.
That draft pick is No. 2 selection Darryn Peterson, who joins a perimeter group that already has real juice. Ace Bailey, Keyonte George, and Brice Sensabaugh are all under-25 scorers, and Isaiah Collier is considered one of the NBA’s better backup point guards.
Peterson brings dynamic scoring, playmaking, and serious athletic pop on film, and his head coach is already pushing him on defense. That kind of addition can change the shape of a roster fast.
Utah also filled out the supporting cast with low-cost pieces. Jaxson Hayes is in the mix after averaging 3.0 offensive rebounds per 36 minutes in 2025-26, and he’s owed just $12 million over the next two seasons.
The Jazz also brought in veteran wing defender Josh Okogie on the same two-year, $12 million deal. Okogie averaged 17.8 minutes per game for the 52-win Houston Rockets in 2025-26.
Put it all together, and the Jazz look like a team that has chosen a path with options. Hayes may not be a perfect Kessler replacement, but Utah now has more draft capital, more young scoring, and more flexibility to chase a high-level center if Jackson and Markkanen need extra help down the road. With that kind of setup, a playoff push as soon as 2026-27 is no longer out of the question.
Losing Kessler won’t make Jazz fans feel better in the moment. But from a roster-building standpoint, Utah has handled the offseason with purpose, and that matters.
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