Is the Price Right for Walker Kessler to Stay with Jazz?

appeared first on The Lead.

Ever since his trade to the Utah Jazz, Walker Kessler has continued to prove he belongs in the NBA. Kessler became the first rookie in 25 years to record seven-plus blocks in four games, only trailing Tim Duncan ‘s five games in 1998. He wowed audiences when he helped the Jazz to a one-point win over the Minnesota Timberwolves on Jan.

16, 2023 , scoring 20 points and bringing down 21 rebounds. A player with Kessler’s talents deserves an extension. However, the new NBA salary cap rules hinder a team’s ability to give out long and expensive contracts, meaning the Jazz were unwilling to sign him earlier.

Reports showed Kessler and his group want a longer contract worth up to $30 million per year. The Jazz would not budge on that price, so their contract stalemate continues. To fully understand this stalemate, The Lead conducted an exclusive interview with Jazz insider and KSL Sports host Ben Anderson to break down the situation to see if the price is truly right for Kessler.