The Chicago Bulls desperately need a center, and Walker Kessler is ideally suited to fill the void. The growing tension between Kessler and the Utah Jazz should motivate the Bulls to aggressively pursue the 24-year-old big man.
Kessler is frustrated with Utah's approach to contract negotiations, according to Sam Amick of The Athletic (subscription required). The annoyance dates back to last summer, when the Jazz refused to offer the former Auburn standout a new deal, instead kicking the can down the road to revisit talks this offseason.
The Jazz reportedly value Kessler and want to keep him in Utah long term. If that's true, they're not doing a fantastic job of making him feel wanted.
According to ESPN's Tim McMahon (h/t Bleacher Report), they offered Kessler a five-year, $140 million contract he turned down. He is "looking for significantly more than that," per McMahon.
The time is now for the Bulls to swoop in and bring him to the Windy City.
Walker Kessler is growing frustrated with the Utah Jazz
Kessler wants to stay in Utah, so an acceptable offer from the Jazz could bring this saga to an abrupt end. But tensions are certainly growing, which means there's a window of opportunity for Chicago to strike.
"With the Jazz choosing to leverage the realities of restricted free agency against him as a way to minimize his market," Amick wrote, "sources say he is strongly considering the prospect of a basketball future outside Utah."
If Chicago were to offer Kessler a contract, Utah would have the right to match it. He could also accept a $14.6 million qualifying offer, stay with the Jazz next season and become an unrestricted free agent next summer.
If there remains a disconnect, however, another team — the Bulls, perhaps? — could agree to terms with Kessler and work out a sign-and-trade deal to acquire him.
Kessler would be an ideal fit with the Bulls
Chicago needs an elite rim protector to play behind Josh Giddey and next to Matas Buzelis. Even if they select Caleb Wilson with the No. 4 pick on June 23, bringing Kessler aboard would only enhance new head coach Tiago Splitter's system.
Kessler is massive — 7-foot-2 and 245 pounds with a 7-foot-6 wingspan and 9-foot-5 standing reach. He averaged 11.1 points, 12.2 rebounds and 2.4 blocks across 58 games, all starts, in 2024-25. (He only played five games last season after tearing his labrum.)
Kessler dominates the rim on both ends of the floor. He led the NBA in offensive rebounds per game in 2024-25 and finished the year fifth in total rebounds per game. He was also fourth in the league in total blocks.
And Splitter knows how to use a massive interior presence like Kessler. Donovan Clingan, who stands 7-foot-2 and 280 pounds, started 77 games for the Portland Trail Blazers last season under Splitter and averaged 12.1 points, 11.6 rebounds and 1.7 blocks.
The more things deteriorate in Utah, the more urgently the Bulls should be going after Kessler.
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