The New Orleans Pelicans desperately need to address center play this summer ahead of anything else. With 6-foot-6 Zion Williamson still being viewed as a franchise frontcourt player, the need for a true 7-footer is apparent. It appears the Pelicans' ideal starting big man may be coming available as Walker Kessler is reportedly growing frustrated with the Utah Jazz ahead of restricted free agency.
According to The Athletic’s Sam Amick, "Utah Jazz center Walker Kessler is at odds with the team's front office over the current handling of his restricted free agency.”
Amick stated that the Jazz are trying to use Kessler's restricted free-agent status as leverage to shrink his market. For Utah, this is a smart business move that would benefit them long-term, with Jaren Jackson Jr. and Lauri Markkanen on massive deals and Keyonte George likely needing an extension. However, when you have a potential top 10 center in the league who hasn’t even hit his prime, that’s already disgruntled after failed extension talks from last summer, you should pay him.
Now I doubt the Jazz front office and Austin Ainge are just going to hand Kessler to another team around the league. But whether he is looking for a sign-and-trade or is forced to accept the qualifying offer, Joe Dumars should at least be inquiring about him.
Kessler is perfect for the Pelicans
Although last season he saw the court for only five games before undergoing season-ending shoulder surgery, those five games were incredible. In his minimal appearances, Kessler averaged 14.4 points, 10.8 rebounds, 1.4 steals, and 1.8 blocks per game, while shooting 70.3 percent from the field.
Throughout the Zion Williamson era, the Pelicans have had issues with injuries and staying healthy, which may scare some about bringing in Kessler, given his past health issues. But that was the David Griffin era, and we are now in the Joe Dumars era.
With new days ahead, the previous notion that there was something in the water in New Orleans that kept players from staying healthy needs to be thrown out.
Kessler is more than just a shot blocker defensively; he’s a full-blown anchor in the paint. He uses his massive 7-foot-2, 245-pound frame to lock players up on post-ups, boxes out incredibly hard, and has the length to quickly recover when someone attacks from his weak side. Pair that with general elite rim protection ability and awareness, and we are looking at maybe the best rim protector for the next decade behind only Victor Wembanyama. Having Kessler as a backline defender makes opposing perimeter players think twice before trying to attack the basket because he’s a monster in that realm.
He isn’t an elite perimeter stopper by any means, but for his size, he’s rather agile and can use his length to at least create an advantage for himself, if he’s dragged out to the perimeter.
In his very small sample size last season, he added 34 expected wins for the Jazz, according to Cleaning the Glass. To show that those stats aren’t too overblown by his small sample in his rookie season, he added 15 expected wins for Utah. The majority of that impact stems from the defensive end, but he’s also an effective screener, roller, lob threat, and efficient paint scorer.
If the Pelicans are looking for a center, as they should be, Kessler is their guy. He fits the timeline at 24 years old and checks every box. Go get him, Joe!
