The Jazz finally had some momentum brewing, and the energy around Salt Lake City was starting to feel different. Utah fans were buying in again. Young talent was stepping up, chemistry was building, and Walker Kessler was anchoring the defense like a franchise pillar. It seemed like Utah was nearing the light at the end of their tunnel of tanking.

Then, Kessler’s injury changed the dynamic in an instant. Initially, it didn’t appear too extreme, but news quickly spread that he re-aggravated a torn labrum in his left shoulder and that he would have to undergo a season-ending surgery.

The 7-foot-2 shot-blocker seems to be in good spirits after the procedure; however, the same cannot be said about the fans who were looking forward to a breakout year from him.

Expectations Pivot in Utah

Hype from Walker Kessler’s fans had never been higher due to his contributions through the first five games of the Jazz’s season. During this time, he averaged 14 points, 11 rebounds, and three assists per game. He was also shooting an astounding 75% from three (on two attempts per game) and 70% from the field.

His contributions were undeniable, and Jazz fans were finally seeing him as the franchise cornerstone that he is. Unfortunately, after re-injuring himself during Utah’s Halloween matchup against the Suns, Kessler left the game, and Jazz fans were forced to confront a truth scarier than any costumes or movies that night.

Fans are now feeling Kessler’s absence immediately.

After a rallying win against the Boston Celtics, Utah would face off against Detroit. The Pistons had a clear plan to expose Utah’s lack of rim protection by attacking the paint and allowing Jalen Duren to play underneath the basket. This worked remarkably well in their favor, and without a real rebounding threat to stop him, Duren tallied 22 points and 22 rebounds — seven of which were offensive.

During all of this, another story revolving around the former Auburn Tiger has been brewing in the background. Forgetting about the Jazz for a moment, what does this injury mean for Kessler himself?

Kessler’s Future in Doubt

Most people saw Kessler as a vital piece of Utah’s rebuild — everyone except the Jazz front office.

At the time of the injury, everyone knew Kessler was playing with a chip on his shoulder; he was due for a contract extension before the beginning of the 2025-26 season. However, he was never offered one.

This shocked Jazz fans. Kessler still had an unbelievably high ceiling and showed loyalty and commitment to a team facing their toughest seasons since 2011-2015. The least they could do was return the favor; however, they did not. It would seem that Utah’s general management views Kessler as a trade chip, not a franchise player.

However, now that Kessler will miss the rest of the year, what’s next for him? He’ll become a Restricted Free Agent, but it’s hard to guess what kind of contract he can ask for.

It appeared that the Jazz were originally going to trade Kessler this season. This would allow them to acquire new assets, and they’d avoid needing to pay him in future seasons. But, this was assuming he had a good year and asked for a larger contract. Now, though, the tides have shifted and Kessler will likely settle for a smaller contract. Assuming his value doesn’t change, Kessler will likely be offered a contract in the range of $17-22 million dollars annually.

If this is the case, the Jazz are very likely to match the offer and retain Kessler. Though, even in this hypothetical, Utah would likely keep Kessler on the market, just in case any other teams offer a trade too impactful to refuse.

As fans of the franchise, we can only hope this isn’t the last time we see Kessler wearing the purple mountains.