Take the initiative to speak out, Jazz s operation detonates the league, the inside core may leave, the Lakers finally wait

On September 25, 2025, at a time when the NBA's dynamic information kept coming like a tide, a news from within the league attracted widespread attention from many fans and media. According to league sources to well-known sports media The Athletic, the Utah Jazz in the West failed to reach an agreement with team center Walker Kessler on the renewal of their rookie contract. This result is of great significance, and it means Kessler will officially become a restricted free agent next summer, when his future direction is full of uncertainty and many teams in the market may throw olive branches to him.

It is undeniable that the Jazz highly recognize Kessler's ability and value. Sources further revealed that the management not only values ​​him very much, but also regards him as the cornerstone of the team's future. Since the team sent away the leading stars Mitchell and Gobert, the team has entered a long and difficult period of reconstruction. In this process, the Jazz introduced a group of young players, and Kessler was one of the few players who could "stand out". He used his actual performance in the NBA to prove that he has the ability to start stably. Whether in the regular season or in some key games, Kessler always has a compelling performance. His rebounding ability, defensive deterrence and the potential he occasionally shows on the offensive end have all allowed the team management to see his huge potential and value.

Since the Jazz attaches so much importance to Kessler, why not renew his contract with him now and securely lock him in the team's lineup with a five-year contract? The answer is actually not complicated. It is ultimately a matter of money, and it is also because the NBA is essentially a business. The Jazz have their own strategic plans and goals, and they hope to end the embarrassing situation where the team is at the bottom of the West as soon as next summer. If Kessler does not renew his contract now, from the perspective of salary structure, his salary will occupy $14.9 million next summer. This amount seems to be not low, but it has important strategic significance.

On the one hand, it allows the Jazz to retain Kessler's signing rights, ensuring that the team still has the right to renew their contracts after he becomes a restricted free agent; on the other hand, this amount can leave enough room for the team to operate in the free agent market. The team can use this salary space to chase other powerful free agents, further improve the team's lineup, and enhance the team's overall strength. Theoretically, the Jazz are still organic in the future and can use "Bird Right" to reach a contract renewal agreement with Kessler. Even if the team's salary exceeds the salary cap, the Jazz are still able to sign with him, which provides a certain degree of flexibility for the team's operations.

Otherwise, if you renew your contract with Kessler now, the situation will be much more complicated. His salary occupancy will be determined by the amount of the new contract, and with the strength and potential currently shown by Kessler, the amount of a contract renewal will definitely not be low. This may greatly weaken the team's flexibility in salary space, making the team's operations in the free agent market very difficult, but for many potential championship teams, they will become interested in the next player, among which, the Lakers will be the biggest winner.

General Manager Pelinka is quite persistent in strengthening the inside center. In addition to the No. 1 pick Ayton who actively joined, the inside rotation is still difficult, and even had scandals with Kessler during the offseason. However, Anji was unwilling to express his attitude too early, which made the Lakers retreat. However, the situation at this stage has changed, and as long as the chips are appropriate, the Jazz will have a great possibility of entering the reconstruction period.