NBA rumors: Wizards ready to make big Walker Kessler offer, but Jazz are ‘optimistic’

While the Utah Jazz have rejected trade offers for Walker Kessler, will the Washington Wizards swoop in with a deal ahead of the deadline? Despite the fact that Kessler is ruled out for the season with a shoulder injury, many believe the Jazz will bring him back via free agency in the offseason.

However, there is talk around the league that the Wizards will try to make a deal with the Jazz for Kessler, according to Sports Illustrated’s Bryson Akins.

“They (Jazz) are optimistic Walker Kessler will be back in Utah, and they have final say due to his restricted free agency…the word around the league is the Wizards are fairing to make him a significant offer,” Akins reported.

The Wizards, who recently acquired Trae Young from the Atlanta Hawks, could be looking to pair the All-Star guard with the promising 7-foot-2 center. Kessler has averaged a double-double in the last two of his four seasons with the Jazz, including 14.4 points, 10.8 rebounds, 1.8 blocks, and 1.4 steals per game in only five games in 2025-26 before his season-ending shoulder injury.

Walker is expected to see a significant pay raise. The fourth and final season of his rookie contract is worth $4.8 million.

Jazz reportedly turned down trade offers for Walker Kessler

The Jazz are hoping to re-sign Walker Kessler during the offseason when the center will be a restricted free agent. However, that didn’t stop the Pacers from trying, as they’ve made offers recently, according to NBA insider Marc Stein.

“Kessler will be a restricted free agent in the summer, and the Jazz continue to signal that they hope to re-sign him after first capitalizing on their projected salary cap space in the offseason… despite the fact that the sides’ negotiations on a rookie scale contract extension before the Oct. 20 deadline for such deals were marked by a significant gulf.

“Yet, the repeated signals emanating from Salt Lake City indicate that Utah wants to keep Kessler have not stopped Indiana from expressing trade interest in the promising big man,” Stein reports.

The Pacers lost their former starting center, Myles Turner, via free agency to the Bucks last summer.

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