Jazz Center Walker Kessler Named Western Conference Rookie of Month
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Utah Jazz center Walker Kessler has been named Western Conference Rookie of the Month. The 7-foot first-round pick finished February averaging 10.6 ppg while hauling in 11.4 rebounds.
Kessler has made an impact this year with his presence in the paint, but the biggest improvement has been the ability to stay on the floor. In the month of February, Kessler averaged only 2.3 fouls per contest while still staying aggressive, blocking 3.2 shots per game.
The debate of which team got the better end of the stick in the Rudy Gobert trade was put to bed before it ever began due to Kessler’s emergence. Where things currently stand, the Jazz were able to parlay Gobert into quite the return.
- Walker Kessler
- Talen-Horton Tucker
- 2023 Timberwolves' first-round pick unprotected
- 2025 Timberwolves' first-round pick unprotected
- 2026 Timberwolves' first-round pick swap
- 2027 Timberwolves' first-round pick unprotected
- 2029 Timberwolves' first-round pick protected
- 2027 Lakers' first-round pick protected
Kessler is Utah’s only active player from the original trade that saw Malik Beasley and Jarred Vanderbilt eventually moved to the Los Angeles Lakers. The next step for Jazz executive Danny Ainge is to pair the young star with a frontcourt mate that can stretch the floor.
The Jazz are positioned where there should be options available. With Mike Conley and Beasley’s contracts now off the books in 2023, the Jazz can afford to pay a max contract if an opportunity presents itself in free agency or could sacrifice some future draft capital in a trade to a franchise looking to rebuild.
With time ticking on Lauri Markkanen’s next contact, expect Ainge to make moves sooner rather than later. Either way, keeping Markkanen at the three while making a significant upgrade at the four is the most likely path moving forward.
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