After losing Isaiah Hartenstein to free agency, the New York Knicks are searching the trade market for a replacement. Walker Kessler is one of the names they’re keeping track of. HoopsHype’s Michael Scotto was the first to uncover New York’s trade interest in the Utah Jazz center. “The Knicks have also made inquiries on the trade market, showing interest in Jazz center Walker Kessler, league sources told HoopsHype, along with Hornets center Nick Richards, as previously reported by HoopsHype,” Scotto said on July 2, 2018.
Acquiring him won’t come cheap, as is always the case when dealing with Utah’s Danny Ainge. In a July 3 column for The Athletic, Fred Katz proposed a deal along the following lines:
Knicks receive: Kessler
Jazz receive: Miles McBride, 2025 first-rounder (via Detroit)
The 23-year-old is coming off of his second NBA campaign, both in Utah.
Kessler averaged 8.1 points, 7.5 rebounds, and 2.4 blocks in 64 regular-season appearances with the Jazz last season.
Jazz Were Shopping Kessler Ahead of NBA Draft
According to Katz, Utah was looking to trade its starting center ahead of the 2024 NBA Draft. However, the price was hefty. “The Jazz expressed they were open to moving Kessler leading into the draft, according to rival front-office sources in contact with them,” Katz wrote in an email. “Utah was after a top-10 draft pick in exchange, and it wasn’t clear if even that would be enough to get a deal done.”‘
Kessler appears to be available after the Jazz passed on Kyle Filipowski and Drew Eubanks, both centers, in the draft and free agency. As Katz goes on to say, McBride is an unusual match for Utah, who aren’t in contention. Last season, they ended 31-51 and ranked 12th in the Western Conference.
