Walker Kessler Rumors | Hoops Rumors

Jazz Reportedly Consider Rebuild To Be In Early Stages

March 7th, 2025 at 7:02pm CST by Luke Adams

After trading away Rudy Gobert and Donovan Mitchell during the 2022 offseason, the Jazz won 37 games in ’22/23 and 31 in ’23/24. This season, they’re on pace for just 20 wins, which would be the lowest total in franchise history.

However, according to Sarah Todd of The Deseret News, the Jazz don’t view 2024/25 as the third year of their rebuild. Instead, they consider it part of their multiyear tear-down process. “In their eyes,” Todd writes, “the rebuild hasn’t started.”

As Todd points out, the Jazz still had several veterans on their roster after moving on from Gobert and Mitchell and have since traded many of those vets too, including Bojan Bogdanovic, Mike Conley, Kelly Olynyk, Jarred Vanderbilt, and Simone Fontecchio.

Additionally, although Utah has drafted in the lottery in each of the past two years, the team didn’t have a top-eight pick in either of those drafts and none of its five first-round picks from 2023 or 2024 have established themselves as clear foundational pieces, Todd notes.

Given that context, it makes sense that the front office isn’t ready to pivot toward contending in 2025/26. Instead, hanging onto their 2026 first-rounder is a priority for the Jazz, according to Todd. That pick is top-eight protected and will be sent to Oklahoma City if it lands at No. 9 or lower. If that pick lands in the top eight, Utah would keep it and would no longer owe draft assets to the Thunder.

That means another tanking season in 2025/26 appears highly likely for the Jazz, Todd writes. Andy Larsen of The Salt Lake Tribune (Twitter link) has heard the same thing.

Of course, there’s a scenario in which the Jazz land a player like Cooper Flagg in this year’s draft and find themselves with too much talent on their roster to be an obvious bottom-feeder next season. If that happens, Todd writes, the Jazz might be more inclined to trade a player like Lauri Markkanen or Walker Kessler to ensure they hang onto their 2026 pick.

While the Jazz may find marketing value in spinning the past three seasons as a “tear-down” instead of a “rebuild,” I expect many fans in Utah will view the distinction as a semantic one and focus more on the fact that it has been a while since the organization has prioritized winning games.

As Larsen writes for The Salt Lake Tribune, several season ticket holders are upset about an announcement from the team that the price of their tickets are going up 2025/26. Some fans reported that prices have risen by up to 8%, Larsen writes, though the Jazz claim that most increases are closer to 3% or less and that the highest is about 6%.

“It’s extremely frustrating that I’m paying more than I was when we were the No. 1 seed and that it is far more expensive to be a season ticket holder than to just buy tickets from SeatGeek every game,” one season ticket holder told Larsen.

“Paying full price to watch a team play G League players and lose on purpose is already so disrespectful to your fan base,” another season ticket holder said, adding that he’s canceling his tickets for next season. “To then have the audacity to raise prices on season ticket holders, after being dead last in the West, shows how little this organization cares about the fans.”

Stein’s Latest: Mavericks, Luka, Edwards, Knicks, Kessler, Budenholzer

March 3rd, 2025 at 12:40pm CST by Luke Adams

Sam Amick of The Athletic reported last week that the Mavericks reached out to the Timberwolves to inquire about a possible Luka Doncic/Anthony Edwards swap earlier this season before pivoting to the Lakers and Anthony Davis. Veteran Milwaukee-area reporter Gery Woelfel has reported that the Mavs made a similar inquiry with the Bucks about Giannis Antetokounmpo.

Addressing those rumors, NBA insider Marc Stein of The Stein Line (Substack link) says he has consistently heard that the Mavericks only discussed Doncic by name with one team: the Lakers.

While Dallas did talk to Minnesota and Milwaukee, according to Stein, those discussions have been described to him as “very brief in nature and intentionally broad and vague,” with no conversations about Doncic specifically.

Here are a few more items of interest from Stein:

Following the expiration of Moses Brown‘s 10-day contract, the Mavericks can’t fill the 15th spot on their standard roster until April 10 due to their hard cap. Promoting two-way player Kessler Edwards, who has played a rotation role in recent weeks and can only be active for 10 more NBA games, is one option Dallas is considering for that final week of the season, league sources tell Stein. However, the team’s decision will depend in part on its health and roster needs as of April 10, Stein notes. While the Mavs have a serious frontcourt shortage right now due to injuries, that may not be the case in five-and-a-half weeks.
The Knicks were “right there” with the Lakers before the trade deadline in trying to pry third-year center Walker Kessler away from the Jazz, league sources tell Stein, who says Utah made it clear to both clubs that it didn’t want to seriously entertain pitches for Kessler during the season. The big man will be eligible for a rookie scale extension during the 2025 offseason.
Although Stein can’t confirm if Mike Budenholzer‘s job in Phoenix is any actual jeopardy, he says the topic has generated “heightened whispering and curiosity” in coaching circles. The Suns parted ways with Monty Williams in 2023 when he still had three years and $20MM+ left on his contract and let go of Frank Vogel in 2024 just one year into his five-season, $31MM deal. Budenholzer reportedly received a five-year contract worth in excess of $50MM when he was hired by Phoenix last May. His Suns have a 28-33 record and are four games back of the final play-in spot in the West.
In case you missed it, Stein also reported that the Wizards gave real consideration to the idea of reacquiring Bradley Beal from the Suns prior to last month’s trade deadline. However, the teams couldn’t agree to terms and it seems unlikely that Beal would have waived his no-trade clause to return to D.C. anyway.

Trade Rumors: Johnson, Martin, Sixers, Lakers, Jazz

February 5th, 2025 at 10:28am CST by Luke Adams

It seems increasingly likely that Cameron Johnson will remain in Brooklyn beyond the trade deadline, according to Brian Lewis of The New York Post, who has consistently heard that the Nets are willing to field calls about the veteran forward but aren’t actively shopping him.

While the Nets moved quickly this season to trade Dennis Schröder and Dorian Finney-Smith, both of whom can reach unrestricted free agency this summer, Johnson is under contract for two more years beyond this one, so there’s no urgency in Brooklyn to move off of him at this point — especially since the team still projects to have substantial cap room for next season even with Johnson’s $20.5MM salary on the books.

Ian Begley of SNY.tv also reported on Tuesday that a Johnson trade may not happen this week.

We have more trade rumors from around the NBA:

There’s a chance that KJ Martin, whom the Pistons agreed to acquire from Philadelphia, could be rerouted to another team prior to Thursday’s trade deadline, tweets Omari Sankofa II of The Detroit Free Press. If Detroit were to acquire Martin using cap space rather than the room exception, his salary could be aggregated with one or more other players in a subsequent deal.
According to Marc Stein and Jake Fischer of The Stein Line (Substack link), Andre Drummond, Eric Gordon, and Guerschon Yabusele are among the veterans who continue to draw interest for the Sixers, who already traded Caleb Martin in addition to KJ Martin. However, Philadelphia is reluctant to move Yabusele, preferring to find a way to retain him beyond his current one-year, minimum-salary contract, Stein and Fischer say.
Grant Afseth of RG.org takes a look at the Lakers‘ hunt for another center, suggesting that – despite Rob Pelinka‘s comments downplaying the urgency to find more than a stop-gap – the team is still considering a wide range of possible targets.
Tony Jones of The Athletic checks in on the Jazz‘s plans ahead of the trade deadline, writing that John Collins and Jordan Clarkson are considered more available than Collin Sexton and especially Walker Kessler. Utah values Sexton and has set a “very high” asking price for Kessler, Jones explains.

Scotto’s Latest: DFS, Grimes, Kleber, Toppin, Jazz

February 2nd, 2025 at 10:40pm CST by Dana Gauruder

The Lakers‘ acquisition of Luka Doncic in the three-team blockbuster with the Mavericks and Jazz could improve their odds of retaining veteran forward Dorian Finney-Smith, according to Michael Scotto of HoopsHype.

Scotto previously reported that Finney-Smith was expected to decline his $15.4MM option for next season in order to enter unrestricted free agency. Doncic and Finney-Smith, who was acquired from the Nets this season, are close friends. Doncic will undoubtedly lobby the Lakers’ front office to retain Finney-Smith, Scotto notes.

Here’s more from Scotto:

The Mavericks‘ acquisition of young guard Max Christie along with Anthony Davis in the trade could impact Quentin Grimes‘ status with the organization. Grimes, who reportedly declined a three-year rookie scale extension offer prior to the October deadline, has become a key contributor, averaging 10.2 points per game while shooting 46.7% from the field and 40.7% from beyond the arc. He’ll become eligible for restricted free agency this summer, while Christie is signed through 2027/28, including a player option.
Prior to adding current injured Maxi Kleber to the Doncic deal, the Mavericks held exploratory talks involving Kleber with the Pacers. Dallas had its eyes on power forward Obi Toppin. Kleber is signed through the 2025/26 season and if he’s not dealt again prior to Thursday’s deadline, he’ll become a more valuable trade asset for the Lakers in the offseason when he’ll have an expiring $11MM contract.
The Jazz, who facilitated the Doncic/Davis trade, are expected to remain active ahead of the trade deadline. Utah is looking to flip veteran forward P.J. Tucker, who was acquired from the Clippers on Saturday, for another team’s salary dump to land more future draft assets. Tucker will be bought out of his $11.54MM contract if he’s not traded. John Collins, Jordan Clarkson, and Collin Sexton have all come up in trade discussions. Walker Kessler has also drawn interest but the Jazz’s high price tag makes it unlikely he’ll be dealt this week.

Trade Rumors: Butler, Suns, Turner, Johnson, Mathurin, Lakers

January 30th, 2025 at 5:26pm CST by Rory Maher

Although the Heat have lowered their asking price for Jimmy Butler, they have yet to find a trade package they like, according to Barry Jackson of The Miami Herald (Twitter links), who hears from a source that the Suns remain the most “aggressive” team in pursuit of the six-time All-Star. However, Miami still has no interest in taking on Bradley Beal and his no trade-clause.

Jackson reiterates that the Heat are “determined” to move Butler, but if they’re unable to before next Thursday’s deadline, they’ll still have some options in the offseason. Of course, that scenario glosses over the issue of having to deal with more Butler-related drama for the rest of the 2024/25 campaign.

According to Kevin O’Connor of Yahoo Sports, league executives keep circling back to the Grizzlies as a possible dark horse suitor for Butler, even though they were warned by his camp not to trade for him.

Here are some more trade rumors from around the NBA:

Both Dan Woike of The Los Angeles Times and veteran NBA reporter Marc Stein (Substack link) hear the Pacers are receiving trade inquiries on Myles Turner, though there’s skepticism around the league that Indiana will move its starting center. As both writers point out, the Pacers have been surging up the Eastern Conference standings and are determined to make a strong playoff push, so trading Turner might hurt the team’s chemistry. According to Stein, Indiana would want at least another starting-caliber center in return for Turner to even contemplate moving the impending free agent.
Indiana’s improved play of late might make the Pacers reluctant to part with significant assets to acquire Nets forward Cameron Johnson, according to Stein. Rival teams think the Pacers may need to trade some of their wing depth — either by next week or the offseason — to free up their books to re-sign Turner in free agency. With that in mind, Bennedict Mathurin could be worth monitoring, but Indiana values him — Woike hears the Pacers would want a player it likes plus a first-round pick in exchange for the 22-year-old, who was selected sixth overall in the 2022 draft.
Woike’s story is largely focused on the Lakers and their trade options. As Woike explains, while the front office is open to trading both of the team’s available first-round picks, coming up with “realistic” scenarios is tricky for a number of reasons — including the high asking price for starting centers. For example, the Jazz may not be willing to trade Walker Kessler even if the Lakers offered both first-rounders, according to Woike, who highlights several other possible trade candidates in his story, including Malcolm Brogdon, whom the Wizards may be willing to part with for second-round draft capital.

Trade Rumors: Butler, George, Lakers, Kessler, Turner, Raptors

January 29th, 2025 at 4:02pm CST by Luke Adams

Within a look at the clubs who could potentially get involved in a multi-team Jimmy Butler trade, Ira Winderman of The South Florida Sun Sentinel adds the Sixers to the list of possible facilitators.

Given the contracts on their books, it’s hard to see how the 76ers could realistically get involved unless Paul George is an outgoing piece, since Joel Embiid and Tyrese Maxey aren’t going anywhere, no one else on the roster makes more than $8.2MM, and the club isn’t well positioned to absorb salary.

For what it’s worth, Vincent Goodwill of Yahoo Sports (Twitter video link) recently broached the possibility of Philadelphia reacquiring Butler in a deal that sends out George, noting that Embiid had interest in the idea of reuniting with Butler before the Sixers signed George.

However, Goodwill added that the Sixers told George they wouldn’t trade him in the first year of the four-year contract he signed in July. Even if they were willing to do so, I think George’s value has probably taken a significant hit since the summer based on how the first half of the season played out, so I’m skeptical about how much interest the Heat or another team would have in taking on his long-term max deal.

Here are a few more trade rumors and notes from around the NBA:

On the heels of Anthony Davis declaring publicly that he thinks the Lakers need to add another big man, the team has made acquiring a center an even greater priority, team and league sources tell Jovan Buha of The Athletic. With that in mind, Buha runs through a number of targets who might make sense for Los Angeles, starting with Jazz center Walker Kessler. Buha views Kessler as an ideal fit in L.A. and advocates for the Lakers to aggressively pursue him, noting that the cost would likely be two first-round picks or an unprotected first-rounder and rookie Dalton Knecht.
Within the same Athletic article, Buha writes that the Lakers have “long coveted” Pacers big man Myles Turner and explains that some people view Turner as “sneakily gettable” because it’s unclear whether Indiana is prepared to pay him $30MM per year in free agency. Still, even if he’s available, acquiring Turner would be challenging, given that other teams would have interest and the postseason-bound Pacers would likely want a starting-caliber center in return, Buha adds.
Dustin Dopirak of The Indianapolis Star (subscription required) takes a closer look at the Turner dilemma facing the Pacers, breaking down the case for keeping and re-signing him and the case for trading him.
Josh Lewenberg of TSN.ca (Twitter link) suggests not reading too much into the report linking the Raptors to Pelicans forward Brandon Ingram. As Lewenberg explains, Toronto always does its due diligence when a star player becomes available and is likely doing the same with Kings guard De’Aaron Fox, but that doesn’t necessarily mean the team is serious about acquiring either player.

Lakers Rumors: Vucevic, Poeltl, Valanciunas, Kessler, Finney-Smith

January 27th, 2025 at 12:38pm CST by Luke Adams

Lakers star Anthony Davis told ESPN’s Shams Charania last week that he believes the team needs to add another center, but league sources inform Marc Stein of The Stein Line (Substack link) that Bulls center Nikola Vucevic and Raptors center Jakob Poeltl aren’t viewed as likely targets for Los Angeles.

As Stein explains, the Bulls continue to seek a first-round pick in exchange for Vucevic, while the Raptors’ asking price for Poeltl – a player they prefer to keep – is thought to be even higher than that. Both players are also earning in the $20MM range, which may be more than the Lakers want to spend on another big man, Stein adds.

Wizards center Jonas Valanciunas, who has a $9.9MM salary and is unlikely to cost more than second-round draft capital, still appears to be the most “gettable” big man on the trade market for the Lakers, according to Stein, though he cautions that there’s still no “substantial momentum” toward a deal between Los Angeles and Washington.

Here’s more on the Lakers:

Shams Charania of ESPN (Twitter video link) said during an appearance on NBA Countdown on Saturday that the Lakers have attempted to trade for Jazz center Walker Kessler “many times,” but haven’t been able to meet Utah’s “steep” asking price. “I’m sure they’ll keep trying,” Charania said. However, Stein wrote today that Kessler is believed to be “as close to unavailable as it gets.”
While the Lakers remain on the lookout for additional reinforcements on the trade market, last month’s acquisition of Dorian Finney-Smith has been a success so far. As Dan Woike writes for The Los Angeles Times, Finney-Smith has made both a “tangible and intangible” impact during his first month in L.A., giving the team toughness and three-point shooting on the court and quickly becoming a locker room favorite off the court. “Doe is comfortable with who he is — like the player, the person,” head coach J.J. Redick said. “And in my experience… people that are like that, people gravitate towards that. People want to follow that. That’s what Doe is.” The Lakers are outscoring opponents by 10.7 points per 100 possessions with Finney-Smith on the court.
A week ago, LeBron James said the Lakers have little “room for error.” Since then, the team has gone 3-0, outscoring its opponents by 54 points in those three games. With forward Jarred Vanderbilt back in action and several other role players giving L.A. good minutes, Khobi Price of The Orange Country Register considers whether the club’s margin for error has widened.

Jazz Notes: Tanking, Markkanen, Mills, Williams, Collins

January 23rd, 2025 at 7:26am CST by Luke Adams

Several Jazz players who have sat out recent games likely would’ve been playing more if the team were contending for a playoff spot, writes Andy Larsen of The Salt Lake Tribune.

That group includes Lauri Markkanen, who missed four consecutive games due to back spasms, and John Collins, who was out for eight straight due to left hip injury management. Third-year center Walker Kessler sat out a game last week in a non-back-to-back situation due to “rest.”

As Larsen writes, the Jazz are in full-on tank mode, which is probably the right long-term move for the franchise, given the challenges of attracting free agents to Utah and the need to build through the draft. Still, Larsen isn’t in favor of the NBA system that incentivizes losing and sought out a pair of Jazz veterans to get their thoughts on tanking.

“I don’t think losing, or purposefully losing, should be part of professional sports,” said Markkanen, who signed a long-term extension with Utah in August. “I feel like athletes always want to compete. I understand why some organizations around the NBA are doing it, but I feel like it sucks, in my opinion. There should be a better way to build rosters. That’s the way it’s been, so I understand it, but that’s my opinion.”

Veteran guard Patty Mills conveyed a similar sentiment.

“I don’t know. I don’t know. I’ve always played for purpose. I play for purpose, that’s for sure. So when purpose isn’t there, it’s definitely hard,” Mills said. “It’s obviously a business, and everyone realizes when you get to this stage. There are situations that will happen that will remind you of that. At the end of the day — it’s a business call for sure — our job is to go out there and help develop, help teach, especially these young guys, how to be professionals.”

Here’s more on the Jazz, who fell to 10-32 with a loss in Oklahoma City on Wednesday:

Jazz rookie Cody Williams, who left Monday’s game vs. New Orleans due to what the team referred to as a left ankle sprain, was wearing a boot and was on crutches in the locker room after the game, according to Larsen, who suggests (via Twitter) the No. 10 overall pick may be facing a “decently long” absence. Williams wasn’t available for Wednesday’s game in OKC.
In a separate Salt Lake Tribune story, Larsen highlights Collins’ return from his eight-game injury absence, noting that the big man’s performance on Wednesday certainly didn’t hurt his trade value — Collins had 22 points and 12 rebounds vs. the Thunder and was a plus-12 in 26 minutes in a game Utah lost by nine points. Larsen also explores whether rumors linking Collins to the Kings make sense.
Appearing on the Jazz’s game broadcast on Wednesday, general manager Justin Zanik explained the thinking behind the team’s decision to trade three “least favorable” first-round picks in 2025 and 2027 and 2029 to the Suns in exchange for Phoenix’s unprotected 2031 first-rounder, as Larsen relays. “The way it makes sense for us is that we now have another shot at a pick that has a lot of variability. The three picks we traded have no chance to be the No. 1 pick, and this one does,” Zanik said. “It balances out what we want, but we’ve always talked about bites at the apple or more swings in the draft, but it also is about the quality of the swings, and this is, in my opinion, the most valuable asset on the market right now.”

Lakers Notes: Trade Deadline, Christie, Reaves, LeBron

January 5th, 2025 at 10:01am CST by Rory Maher

The Lakers have gone 8-3 since they moved Max Christie into the starting lineup last month, ranking sixth in the league in defensive rating over that span, writes Dan Woike of The Los Angeles Times. That makes the third-year guard highly unlikely to be moved prior to the February 6 trade deadline, according to Woike.

In fact, Christie is just the type of player the Lakers should be targeting, someone who can provide off-ball shooting, athleticism and perimeter defense. However, people around the NBA are quick to point out that just about every team is looking for players in that mold, Woike notes.

As Woike writes, the Lakers have frequently been linked to centers like Jonas Valanciunas and Walker Kessler, but acquiring a big man seems less likely after the acquisition of Dorian Finney-Smith, a floor-spacing forward who is capable of defending multiple positions. Rival teams are skeptical that the Jazz would even trade Kessler, preferring to keep the 23-year-old.

Los Angeles would also like to get a look at a second unit featuring a healthy Gabe Vincent and Jarred Vanderbilt — the latter is expected to make his season debut in January, while Vincent is currently dealing with an oblique injury.

Making an all-in move for a maximum-salary star seems very far-fetched, per Woike, as the failed Russell Westbrook experiment and the restrictions of the new tax aprons has made acquiring another massive contract unpalatable and impractical, if not impossible.

Here’s more on the Lakers:

Trading D’Angelo Russell, Maxwell Lewis and three second-round picks to Brooklyn acquire Finney-Smith and Shake Milton wasn’t just about adding complementary role players — it was also a way for the Lakers to see if Austin Reaves can develop into the third offensive star they’ve long been searching for, contends Dylan Hernandez of The Los Angeles Times (subscriber link).
As Khobi Price of The Southern California News Group details, Reaves’ usage rate has skyrocketed over the past few weeks, with the 26-year-old given more opportunities to run the offense. The Lakers have been far more efficient offensively when Reaves is on the court, especially lately, but he acknowledged there will be an adjustment period, Price adds. “I’m excited,” Reaves said. “I’m going to do dumb things. I’m going to mess up. I’m going to do dumb things and I’m going to learn from them. That’s all I can really do. I’m taking on this role on the fly, trading D-Lo, getting more on-ball reps. I’m just gonna learn. This is my fourth year in the league. Every day I can still learn something new. I’m really excited to continue to learn, to continue to grow and become a better player.”
Anthony Davis jokingly pointed out that it took him seven more seasons to accomplish the feat, but LeBron James broke Michael Jordan‘s NBA record for the most regular season games (563) scoring at least 30 points in Friday’s victory over Atlanta, as Dave McMenamin of ESPN relays. “It’s very humbling,” James said. “Anytime I’m mentioned with any of the greats, and arguably the greatest ever to play the game, super cool. It’s someone I idolized in my childhood, and I wear 23 because of him.”

Pacific Notes: Suns, Kuminga, Lakers, Hayes, LeBron

December 28th, 2024 at 9:01pm CST by Arthur Hill

The Suns remain short-handed for tonight’s game against Golden State, but they may be close to having a full lineup fairly soon, writes Duane Rankin of The Arizona Republic. While Devin Booker is missing his fifth straight game with a left groin strain he suffered last week, coach Mike Budenholzer is optimistic that Booker won’t be out much longer. Phoenix has lost three of its last four games without the star guard.

“He’s making good progress,” Budenholzer told reporters before Friday’s game at Dallas. “We feel good about it. He’s still got a little more to go, but he’s progressing as expected.”

Budenholzer added that Grayson Allen is “close” to being ready as he misses his fourth straight game tonight while in concussion protocol. Bol Bol is sitting out a fifth straight game with a contusion that he suffered when he banged knees with a teammate during practice.

The Suns are also without center Jusuf Nurkic, who is serving a three-game suspension for an altercation in Friday’s game. Budenholzer addressed the incident in a pregame session with the media (Twitter link from Rankin), saying it’s dangerous when players continue trying to fight after being ejected.

“You never want these things to even escalate to probably the point that it did,” he said. “The concern about any other continued situations is not good for anybody.”

There’s more from the Pacific Division:

Even though the Warriors lost to the Clippers on Friday night, Jonathan Kuminga turned in one of the best games of his career, notes Sam Gordon of The San Francisco Chronicle. Kuminga posted a career-high 34 points, along with 10 rebounds and five assists, and led a late rally that made the game close. Although the Warriors were short-handed with Stephen Curry and Draymond Green both nursing injuries, Kuminga continued to come off the bench as coach Steve Kerr used his 18th different starting lineup of the season.
The first 30 games have shown that the Lakers don’t need to make a desperation trade for Zach LaVine, contends Mirjam Swanson of The Orange County Register. Swanson views the team’s major needs as a three-and-D wing and a reliable backup center, and recommends pursuing Jazz big man Walker Kessler.
Lakers center Jaxson Hayes, who has only been active for one of the past 21 games because of an ankle injury, has been able to play five-on-five in practice, according to Dave McMenamin of ESPN (Twitter link). Hayes hopes to be ready for Tuesday’s game against Cleveland if the ankle continues to improve.
Lakers star LeBron James will miss tonight’s game with an illness that also forced him to skip Friday’s practice, McMenamin adds (Twitter link). Gabe Vincent is taking his place in the starting lineup.