The night Utah traded Rudy Gobert to Minnesota in 2022, an era ended. For nearly a decade, the Jazz were built around his rim protection, drop coverage, and a half-court defense that smothered mistakes at the point of attack.

Since then, Head Coach Will Hardy and General Manager Justin Zanik have been searching for a version of Utah basketball that fits the league as it is now.

The Gobert years delivered results in the standings. Utah sat among the best regular-season defenses across multiple seasons and lived by clear rules. The cost was flexibility.

In the playoffs, opponents spaced the floor, dragged the center away from the paint, and forced decisions on the perimeter. What worked from October to April did not always hold in May.

What Type of Big Man Should Lead Utah’s Next Phase?

Today’s frontcourt is a different equation. Walker Kessler brings size, timing, and vertical gravity. He blocks shots and finishes at the rim, yet his offensive game is still basic.

However, Kessler’s recent season-ending shoulder injury complicates Utah’s frontcourt plans even more, removing their most reliable rim protector from the lineup.

We announced today that center Walker Kessler will undergo surgery to repair a left shoulder labral tear. 

The procedure will be performed in Los Angeles by Dr. Neal ElAttrache on Nov. 6. Following the surgery, Kessler will miss the remainder of the 2025-26 season. 

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— Utah Jazz (@utahjazz) November 5, 2025

Lauri Markkanen supplies the opposite profile. He can score at all three levels and stretch defenses, but he isn’t a back-line organizer. Taylor Hendricks brings athleticism and defensive range, but he’s still raw and developing. Utah hopes he can grow into a more reliable two-way presence over time.

The result is optionality without a firm identity. With Kessler, the rim is safer, and spacing shrinks. With smaller lineups, the offense breathes and the paint opens.

So, what kind of big should define the next phase? Around the league, the model has shifted toward connectors rather than specialists.

Nikola Jokić runs an offense from the elbows and the arc. Bam Adebayo guards actions across the floor and makes decisions as a handoff hub. Domantas Sabonis powers motion with screens and touch passes that turn cutters into scorers. These players change possessions not only with height but with processing speed.

Evolving from Specialists to Connectors in Today’s NBA

Utah does not need a clone of any one star. It needs a center who can keep the defense organized, make a quick read in the short roll, and punish the wrong matchup without stalling the possession.

There are a few paths to get there. Kessler can grow as a passer, setting better screens and hitting shooters on the move. Markkanen can take on more second-side playmaking if the rim is protected behind him. The draft-pick chest gives the front office the option to trade for, or eventually select, a big man who already blends those skills.

Hardy’s scheme points in the right direction. The Jazz value spacing, quick decisions, and multiple ball-handlers. Last season, the offense hovered around league average while the defense slipped when the primary rim protector sat. That split tells the story.

Utah needs a frontcourt piece who balances both ends rather than choosing one.

Balancing Skills, Patience, and Team Impact

The smart bet is a hybrid archetype. A center who can guard in space for a few beats, drop when needed, and keep the ball moving. Someone comfortable catching at the nail, reading a tag, and finding the corner without overdribbling. Someone who screens with purpose, flips the angle, and creates advantages without calling his own number every trip.

In practical terms, that means development on the floor and patience off it.

Give Kessler more reps as a decision-maker in two-man actions. Put Markkanen in sets that invite the pass as much as the shot. Use the war chest of picks to stay opportunistic. The franchise does not have to abandon what it did well. It has to evolve it.

Utah’s next foundational big should not be defined only by blocks or threes. He should make his teammates better. If the Jazz find that player, the identity will take care of itself.