Utah Jazz Reveal Walker Kessler’s Status for Final Preseason Game

The Utah Jazz will finally have their starting big man back in the rotation for their final preseason game vs. the Portland Trail Blazers.

According to Andy Larsen of The Salt Lake Tribune, Walker Kessler has officially been upgraded to available vs. the Trail Blazers.

Cody Williams has been downgraded to OUT tonight due to illness.

Walker Kessler has been upgraded to available (shoulder).
— Andy Larsen (@andyblarsen) October 16, 2025

Kessler has missed the Jazz's first preseason games of the season due to a shoulder injury, but after initially questionable against Portland, Utah, now gives the green light to their starting center to get one exhibition game under his belt before the regular season action begins next week.

Kessler gave an update surrounding his shoulder injury following the team practice leading up to their final preseason contest vs. the Blazers.

"Shoulder feels good. Working every day with the staff to get right," Kessler said. "Feeling better every day, and just keeping at it... Just have some shoulder stuff. With my lever, sometimes it kind of flares up a little bit."

Fast forward to a few hours from tip-off, and Kessler is ready to go.

Dec 26, 2024; Portland, Oregon, USA; Utah Jazz center Walker Kessler (24) warms up before the game against the Portland Trail Blazers at Moda Center. Mandatory Credit: Soobum Im-Imagn Images | Soobum Im-Imagn Images

The Jazz big man comes into his fourth season with Utah following up from a career year in 2024-25, averaging career-highs in points (11.1) and rebounds (12.2), while maintaining his role as Utah's defensive anchor in the middle with 2.4 blocks a game.

Amid Kessler's upgraded status in Portland, though, the Jazz do have multiple names sitting out. One of whom, second-year wing Cody Williams, would be ruled out within the same team injury update due to illness.

The Jazz will also be without rookie wing Ace Bailey, second-year guard Isaiah Collier, and veteran forward Kyle Anderson, along with another veteran in Georges Niang, who remains sidelined for his fourth straight preseason game with a foot injury that'll linger into the regular season.

But in the case of Kessler, he'll finally get his long-awaited chance to fill in next to Lauri Markkanen in the frontcourt, along with Taylor Hendricks for his first time since Hendricks went down with his season-ending injury at the start of last year.

Be sure to bookmark Utah Jazz On SI and follow @JazzOnSI on X to stay up-to-date on daily Utah Jazz news, interviews, breakdowns and more!