Wizards Need to Trade for Jazz Center

Media day is here, and preseason hoops start in just a few days. The opening night roster for the Washington Wizards is set, with one player still needed to be cut before opening night to bring the roster down to 15 players. However, this does not mean the team is immune to making trades and acquisitions during the season. This is the perfect season to shed contracts and establish a roster for the future.

The truth of the matter is, the Wizards will need a backup center for the future. As much as Tristan Vukcevic has improved, he is in his final year of his two-way contract, and it could be his last season in the DMV. There is, however, a young center in the West that is open to trade talks. Enter Walker Kessler, the solution to the Wizards' short big man depth.

The Utah Jazz would reportedly want Austin Reaves and two first-round picks in a trade centered around sending Walker Kessler to the Lakers, per @LakersDailyCom

“The Jazz have a high asking price for Kessler. One source told Lakers Daily that the Lakers would have to part ways… pic.twitter.com/VC9DciuGOZ
— NBACentral (@TheDunkCentral) September 25, 2025

Kessler would be the perfect solution to every weakness in the center department for the Wiz Kids. The position group lacks depth, with Vukcevic being the only backup to Alex Sarr. Sarr is fantastic and is the starting center for the future of Wizards basketball. He needs a backup, though, someone who can give him rest minutes and begin on nights that Sarr is injured. Kessler is well-suited for this role, as he brings skills that the team currently lacks.

The Auburn product is entering his fourth season, and it is a big one for him. It appears that the Utah Jazz and Danny Ainge may not want to extend his contract or sign him to another one next offseason. It is also important to note that Kessler is a restricted free agent, the same class of free agency as Josh Giddey and Jonathan Kuminga were this season. This gives the Wizards two routes to acquire Kessler.

Walker Kessler admits he’s frustrated that Utah didn’t give him an extension 👀

"I'm definitely a little frustrated ... as long as I have an Utah Jazz jersey on I will play winning basketball."

(Via @andyblarsen) pic.twitter.com/GJ9HzCYNKP
— NBACentral (@TheDunkCentral) September 29, 2025

The first is to trade for him this season. Danny Ainge is known to bleed teams dry of draft picks in trades, but he desperately wants to shed Kessler. Will Dawkins has multiple second-round picks he could also shed. A package could include players making little to no money, like Dillon Jones. The package that is most likely to happen would be Jones, a first-round pick, and two second-round picks for Kessler.

The second option is a sign-and-trade during the 2026 offseason. Kessler is projected to make $14.6 million per year for his next extension, which is 8.6% of the salary cap, according to Spotrac. It also happens that this is almost the same amount Corey Kispert is making under his contract. This could lead to a package involving Kispert and two second-round picks for Kessler.

The bottom line is that the team needs another center to back up Sarr or to run a double big lineup. Kessler fixes that hole. He also brings in rebounding, as he averaged the most offensive rebounds in the NBA last season at 4.6 per game. He is also a fabulous interior presence, averaging 2.4 blocks a night last season, and 2.4 for his career. Trading for Kessler could legitimately be the move that makes the Wizards contenders by 2028, and it absolutely needs to happen.

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