The Chicago Bulls have the perfect opportunity to target Walker Kessler as the ideal center to run with Josh Giddey. The Utah Jazz big man is exactly what Chicago needs -- a supersized rim-protector, rebounder and interior finisher.
The Bulls finally moved on from Nikola Vucevic in a move that should've happened at least a year ago. The plodding, ground-bound 35-year-old is a skilled offensive player but brings absolutely nothing on the other end. That deficiency was an obstacle Chicago couldn't overcome.
Yet somehow, despite making seven trades, Bulls Executive VP of Basketball Operations Arturas Karnisovas created a larger problem than he had to begin with. His roster now includes eight guards and only two true centers, one of whom, Zach Collins, may miss the rest of the season with a toe injury.
Making an all-in move for Kessler this summer would cure that long-running ill and give the Bulls their ideal center to pair with Giddey.
Walker Kessler is the perfect center to pair with Josh Giddey
Karnisovas made three things clear with his deadline moves:
- Cap space will be extremely valuable
- Draft picks (especially second-rounders) will be key assets
- And the future lies in the hands of Giddey, Matas Buzelis and Noa Essengue
The Bulls sent out Vucevic, Coby White, Ayo Dosunmu, Kevin Huerter, Jevon Carter, Dalen Terry and Julian Phillips. That gives them extra flexibility, but it did nothing to solve their undeniable defensive issues.
Kessler may be just one player, but he would be a massive addition -- literally and figuratively. The 24-year-old is 7-foot-2 and 245 pounds with a 7-foot-6-inch wingspan. He's a true throwback rim-protector.
The former Auburn Tigers star averaged 3.4 blocks per-36 minutes across first three NBA seasons. He missed almost all of this year with a torn labrum, but in 2024-25 he averaged a double-double with 11.1 points and 12.2 rebounds (and 2.4 blocks). He shot 70.6 percent on twos and 91.9 percent of his field-goal attempts came at the rim.
He can control the paint and take advantage of easy looks, which Giddey provides in his sleep.
The newly-acquired Anfernee Simons isn't a good defender. Nor are Mac McClung, Tre Jones, Yuki Kawamura or Rob Dillingham. Dosunmu was the Bulls' best on-ball stopper, and he's now in Minnesota.
Kessler is available for the Bulls to chase this offseason
Kessler will be a restricted free agent this summer, which means the Jazz have the right to match any contract offer to keep him in Utah -- a distinct possibility. But the team acquired Jaren Jackson Jr. from the Memphis Grizzlies and still has Lauri Markkanen, both of whom are frontcourt players on expensive deals.
If Chicago, which is projected to have the most cap space in the league this offseason, makes a max offer to Kessler, Utah would have to think twice about matching it.
The Bulls desperately need a player like Kessler. They should be doing everything they can to bring him to the Windy City.