One Team Still Interested in Acquiring Utah Jazz C Walker Kessler

It looks like even with Walker Kessler being sidelined for the remainder of the regular season with a shoulder injury, the buzz surrounding the Utah Jazz center has yet to stop as he'll be eyeing restricted free agency later this summer, and appears to have at least one tea outside of his current home interested in his services.

According to Michael Scotto of HoopsHype, the Indiana Pacers continue to be linked to Kessler as a potential center acquisition and someone they've "gauged the price tag on" despite the Jazz's intention to resign him later this offseason.

"The Pacers gauged the price tag on various centers leaguewide this season, including Utah’s Walker Kessler, Los Angeles’ Ivica Zubac, Brooklyn’s Nicolas Claxton, Dallas’ Daniel Gafford, New Orleans’ Yves Missi, and others, league sources told HoopsHype," Scotto wrote. "Kessler will enter restricted free agency, and Utah wants to re-sign him, as I previously reported here at HoopsHype and on YES Network."

Walker Kessler Remains Connected to Indiana Pacers

It's not the first time Kessler and the Pacers have been linked over the course of this season, and not the first time the connection has been sparked since the Jazz big man went down with his season-ending injury back in November.

However, it remains clear that not only are the Pacers eager to get an upgrade at the five spot, whether it be this season or this summer, but that Kessler could be among the prime candidates to keep an eye on as an aspired addition from the Pacers' front office.

The Jazz, though, don't seem to have much interest in pivoting off of their center of the future once he gets healthy, even if he may not be signed to a long-term contract extension just yet.

Kessler has seen his name in a bundle of trade rumors dating back to this past offseason as someone teams would have interest in acquiring if the Jazz wanted to move off of him. Yet, months away from his restricted free agency window opening, Utah has remained vocal outwardly and behind-the-scenes about their desire to ink him onto a long-term deal while keeping financial flexibility in the short term.

Oct 29, 2025; Salt Lake City, Utah, USA; Utah Jazz guard Keyonte George (3) and center Walker Kessler (24) react to a play against the Portland Trail Blazers during the first quarter at Delta Center. Mandatory Credit: Rob Gray-Imagn Images | Rob Gray-Imagn Images

During his five games while he was healthy this season, Kessler was on pace for a career-best year, averaging 14.4 points, 10.8 rebounds, and 3.0 assists while shooting 70.3% from three. Combine those numbers with being Utah's defensive anchor in the middle, and it's easy to see why his value is so high for the future of the Jazz's rebuild.

All signs seem to indicate that Kessler will be healthy from his shoulder injury come the start of next season, and if all holds to form, will have a nice payday from the Jazz in the form of his second NBA contract, and come back healthier and better than ever later this year.

Though, even with intentions to sign him long-term from the Jazz, that still might not stop interested teams like the Pacers from bringing a hefty offer sheet or perhaps a sign-and-trade deal to try and lure Utah away from their young big man, even if those hopes might be futile in the end.

The situation is one to keep an eye on, and likely won't see much traction until later this summer once Kessler officially hits free agency. But it feels like once the time comes, it might not be a one-man race for the Jazz to try and sign him to a new deal.

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