The Indiana Pacers tried to get Walker Kessler from the Utah Jazz.
According to Sam Amick of The Athletic, the Indiana Pacers tried to trade for Utah Jazz center Walker Kessler.
However, the Pacers couldn't strike a deal with the Jazz and acquired Ivica Zubac from the Los Angeles Clippers instead.
Kessler is at odds with the Jazz's front office over the current handling of his restricted free agency. The big man is strongly considering the prospect of a basketball future outside Utah, but since Kessler is a restricted free agent, he can't leave the Jazz on his own.
As a restricted free agent, Kessler can sign an offer sheet with another team and then the Jazz would have 48 hours to match the deal or let the talented shot-blocker and rebounder leave.
The Pacers won't be linked to Kessler this offseason since they have Zubac, but it will be intriguing to see where Kessler is playing next season.
Zubac played in just five games with Indiana, averaging 11.6 points and 7.2 rebounds per contest while shooting 47.2% from the field and 80.% from the free-throw line.
Zubac has played for the Los Angeles Lakers, Clippers and Pacers. He enters next season with career averages of 10.5 points, 8.3 rebounds and 1.4 assists per game.
The Pacers needed to land in the top four to keep their pick after trading it with protections to the Clippers for Zubac. The trade sent two of Indiana's first-round picks to the Clippers: one in 2029 and either this year's first if it fell outside of the top four or a 2031 unprotected first-rounder if it did not.
Because the Washington Wizards moved up in the lottery, Indiana landed fifth, so the pick went to the Clippers instead.
The Pacers could have drafted AJ Dybantsa, Darryn Peterson, Cameron Boozer or Caleb Wilson. Instead, they have to pray that Zubac plays like an All-Star next season alongside Pascal Siakam and Tyrese Haliburton.
"I mean, it was a coin toss," Haliburton said on Amazon Prime. "I mean, the way I'm looking at the last 12 months for me, dating back from June, I didn't think we were really due any luck. You know, it's been a rough 12 months for me. KP didn't have to apologize. They took a calculated risk. I'm still rolling with the decision and I'm excited to add Zu to the crew and I still think we'll be really good beside him. It's how the cookie crumbles sometimes and I'm still really excited about our group."
The Pacers had the league's second-worst record this season at 19-63. Haliburton missed the season recovering from his Achilles tear. He will return to the lineup next season, so Indiana will be a playoff team again, but it hurts that the franchise won't get one of the top college players.
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