Jazz Have Reportedly Offered Kessler Five Years, $140MM

A report from Sam Amick of The Athletic earlier this week indicated that Kessler is unhappy with the way negotiations with the Jazz have played out so far, and MacMahon confirms that there’s still a “gulf” between the two sides in those contract talks, with the big man presumably seeking a more lucrative payday.

While we don’t know for sure whether that entire $140MM figure is fully guaranteed, the offer would work out to $28MM per year. That would put Kessler’s average annual value above fellow centers like Nic Claxton ($24.3MM), Jakob Poeltl ($25.9MM), and Myles Turner ($27.2MM) and not far behind Jarrett Allen ($30.2MM). It’s possible he and his camp are seeking something closer to the five-year, $185MM rookie scale extension that Rockets big man Alperen Sengun signed in 2024.

However, Kessler may be hard-pressed to get that type of offer. The 7’2″ center was limited to just five games in 2025/26 before undergoing season-ending shoulder surgery in the fall, and while he was very effective as a rebounder (12.2 RPG) and shot blocker (2.4 BPG) in 2024/25, he has yet to develop into a legitimate offensive weapon. He scored 11.1 points per game in ’24/25 and has a career scoring average of 9.5 PPG.

It’s a safe bet that the Jazz will issue a $7.1MM qualifying offer to formally make Kessler a restricted free agent later this month. As of June 30, he’ll be permitted to negotiate with rival suitors and try to secure an offer sheet from one of them. But few teams will have the cap room required to top the offer that Utah has already put on the table, and it’s unclear if any of those clubs – including Brooklyn, Chicago, and the Lakers – will make Kessler a priority.

According to MacMahon, sources are also skeptical that guard Keyonte George will reach a rookie scale extension with the Jazz this offseason.

George, who struggled to score efficiently in his first two NBA seasons and didn’t play well defensively, had a breakout year as a scorer and play-maker in 2025/26, establishing new career highs in points (23.6) and assists (6.1) per game while boosting his shooting line to .456/.371/.892. Each of those shooting rates also represented a career best.

While Utah’s front office is open to discussing a new deal for George, MacMahon says the team would need to see him take another step forward in his fourth season in order to be comfortable giving him a contract approaching his maximum. As MacMahon notes, the Jazz have shown with their handling of Kessler that they’re willing to go to restricted free agency with a possible long-term cornerstone rather than locking in a potentially unfavorable deal a year early.