Cal Durrett of Hoops Habit suggested that the Boston Celtics should make a trade for Utah Jazz big man Walker Kessler, who has not yet received a contract extension. With the current state of the Celtics’ center rotation, adding a guy like Kessler could be an intriguing idea to consider at some point during the season.
Kessler has been a staunch defender and solid rim presence on the other end throughout the course of his young NBA career. Neemias Queta is projected to be Boston’s starting center, with Chris Boucher, Luka Garza, and Xavier Tillman right behind him, but none of the four are proven NBA players.
That’s why adding Kessler could make some sense for Boston, especially with Kessler's latest comment about his lack of extension: "I'm definitely a little frustrated ... as long as I have a Utah Jazz jersey on I will play winning basketball," Kessler said via Andy Larsen of The Salt Lake Tribune.
Should Celtics trade for Walker Kessler?
Kessler makes just under $4.9 million this season, making his contract a relatively easy one to match in a potential trade. But there are plenty of other questions that need to be answered before Boston got to that point.
First and foremost, just because the Jazz haven’t extended Kessler yet doesn’t mean they don’t want him in town. Perhaps they are just waiting to see how things play out this season before allowing him to enter restricted free agency and moving on from there.
Then again, at that point, they could run into the same issue that guys like Jonathan Kuminga, Quentin Grimes, Cam Thomas, and Josh Giddey did with their teams.
In addition to the Jazz’s potential interest, should the Celtics decide to trade for Kessler, they would have to be sure that they see him as a long-term fit with their team.
Kessler is going to need a new contract this summer, which will come with a payday. If Boston doesn’t want to be the team to pay him, then trading for him doesn’t make any sense.
That said, on paper, Kessler seems like the exact type of player who could help the Celtics this season and beyond. He’s a great rim protector and an impressive rebounder. But if Boston sees Queta as a guy who can grow into that role, perhaps they would simply rather double down on his development.
Still, if the Jazz are shopping Kessler around at the deadline, and the price isn’t anything crazy, then maybe he should be someone for Boston to consider adding.
If Kessler gets upset with Utah for not handing him an extension, the Celtics should at least be ready to inquire about a potential deal.