By prioritizing long-term assets over immediate contention, Danny Ainge turned a Walker Kessler trade into a massive draft haul, securing Utah’s future while reshaping their frontcourt rotation.
The Utah Jazz earned one of ESPN’s highest offseason marks this week, with Zach Kram giving the franchise an “A” grade for its summer, which is a notable endorsement considering Utah traded away starting center Walker Kessler and, in turn, took a short‑term step back at the center position in the process. Kram’s evaluation centered on two themes, which are the Jazz’s willingness to prioritize long‑term value and the sheer magnitude of the return they secured from the Lakers.
Kram acknowledged the immediate basketball cost of the Kessler trade. “Losing Walker Kessler makes Utah a less compelling dark horse contender next season,” he wrote, noting that the Jazz will have to navigate a new frontcourt rotation without their young rim‑protecting anchor. The question now shifts to how head coach Will Hardy deploys Jaren Jackson Jr., who now serves as the defensive catalyst down low. Kram pointed out that Hardy may need to use Jackson more frequently at center, because “neither Jusuf Nurkic nor free agent addition Jaxson Hayes is a top‑level starter.” With rumors that Jarrett Allen could find his way to the Wasatch Mountains, that may solve the issue, but for now, Jackson Jr. seems to be the prime candidate.
However, despite the hole, Kram called Utah’s haul for Kessler “arguably the best trade of the summer,” highlighting the Jazz’s ability to extract two unprotected first‑round picks and two swaps for a player he described as “good but not star‑level.” In a market where teams often hesitate to part with unprotected capital, Utah secured four premium assets from a Lakers franchise desperate to reshape its roster around Luka Dončić.
“It’s hard to fault them for taking another temporary step back when the Lakers were offering so much future value,” Kram wrote, framing the move as a classic long‑view play which has been the type of asset‑driven decision that has defined Utah’s rebuild under Danny Ainge and Justin Zanik.
The Jazz now hold one of the league’s deepest draft war chests, and Kram’s grade reflects that. Utah added Jackson, maintained roster flexibility and strengthened its long‑term outlook without sacrificing its young core of Darryn Peterson, Keyonte George and Ace Bailey.
Kram’s conclusion was simple in saying that the Jazz may not be a surprise contender next season, but they maximized value, strengthened their future and executed one of the summer’s most advantageous trades.
In his view, that’s an A‑level offseason, even if playoff basketball doesn’t immediately follow.
