ESPN Reveals Jazz's Biggest Extension Candidate

The Utah Jazz will have a collection of interesting decisions on their roster to take note of across this upcoming offseason.

And while a few of those choices and moves could be focused on acquiring new talent via the draft, free agency, or an intriguing swing of a trade, a few contributors on the Jazz's current roster can't be ignored. A few key contracts on board are nearing the end of the road, putting the ball in Utah's court in order to hammer out a long-term agreement for those they want to keep in town for the long haul.

It's a status that reigns true for both veterans John Collins and Collins Sexton; two potential trade candidates from last season that remained on the roster past February's deadline, perhaps setting the stage for the Jazz to hammer out a long-term deal for one or each of them.

However, there's one more name on the Jazz roster who has an even bigger extension on deck, and that's Walker Kessler, who eyes his rookie extension after three years in Utah, and will be more than deserving of such after the season he's had so far.

ESPN's Bobby Marks sees Kessler's pending new deal as a significant part of the Jazz's offseason as well, noting his extension as the biggest to keep an eye on during their upcoming summer.

"Utah could have over $70 million in cap space in 2026, and despite the low $14.6 million free agent hold of Walker Kessler, the Jazz can be aggressive," Marks wrote. "Averaged a career high in points (11.1), rebounds (12.2) and assists (1.7) and shot 66.3% from the field, the highest in the NBA."

It's hard to ignore the impact Kessler has had during his third season in Utah. While it hasn't resulted in many wins coming the Jazz's way, and their team defense still having a few notable concerns, it's been a solid year of progression and development for the big man after an up-and-down year two.

As a result, it puts the pressure on Utah's front office to hammer out a long-term deal this summer before his dollar value goes up even further going into year four. Marks' notes the Jazz's immense cap flexibility for 2026, meaning the front office can dig into their pockets a bit for this summer in order to lock in their frontcourt cornerstone.

As for how much Kessler could exactly be worth on his rookie-scale extension, that remains to be seen. However, it looks like a given that the Jazz brass will try their best to work through some new numbers to keep the 2022 first-rounder in the fold for the foreseeable future, and in turn. keeping this long-spanning rebuild on the right track.