Walker Kessler joined the Utah Jazz back in 2022 when the Jazz acquired his draft rights from Minnesota. In his rookie season, he was a member of the All-Rookie team and finished third in the voting for the Rookie of the Year award as he led all rookies with 20 games of at least 10 points and 10 rebounds. However, Kessler couldn’t build upon his rookie season and did not perform as expected last season.

In the preseason interview, he set his aim for the 2024-25 season by saying, “There’s going to be ups and downs, but the goal is not to be too high or too low in those moments and to understand that’s about consistently being a pro every day,” stating that it is going to get difficult but staying down is not the solution.

Fast forward to eight games into the season, and the Jazz do find themselves in a very bad place as they have only one win in eight, boasting the worst record in the league. However, Kessler has shown improvement from last season. That is one of the very few positives the Jazz can take from the start of the season.

He has averaged 9.5 points so far, which is an improvement from last season, but the massive upgrade has come in the rebounding department as he’s tied for 9th in the league averaging 11.4 per game. Entering the third season of his rookie contract with just one more season remaining before his deal with the Jazz expires, let’s take a closer look at the center’s contract, wealth, and more.

How much is Walker Kessler making from his 4-year NBA deal? Details of his rookie contract revealed

Walker Kessler signed his rookie deal with the Jazz worth $13.3 million over four years in 2022 as per Sportac. This includes $5.5 million as guaranteed. The next two years were club options, which have been exercised. For the 2024-25 season, Kessler will earn $2.9 million, and next season his salary will increase to $4.8 million. After the 2025-26 season, he will become a restricted free agent.

What is Walker Kessler’s net worth in 2024?

Although there’s not much information about Kessler’s wealth online, according to sources, in 2023 he had a net worth of $2 million. His rise in salary would’ve increased by now and is projected to increase even more once his rookie deal is over and he inks his second contract in the league.

Will Walker Kessler’s next contract be with the Los Angeles Lakers? A look into the trade rumors around the Jazz Center

The LA Lakers and the Jazz have stirred up some rumors very early into the season, centered around Utah’s big man. Although it comes as a surprise as we are still in the early days of the season, considering the impact the towering center brings to any team’s defense, it makes sense for other teams to look for a potential deal.

While there’s interest from the Lakers, Utah doesn’t seem too interested in the offer. As reported by The Athletic’s Sam Amick and John Hollinger, “While our Jovan Buha recently reported the Lakers have interest in Kessler, a Jazz source indicated the possible framework of a deal —D’Angelo Russell and multiple first-round picks — would not be of interest.”

For the Jazz to have an interest in the deal, the Lakers might have to give something more appealing than D’Angelo Russell and some draft capital. Kessler is a great asset to the Jazz and is a good fit for their current set of players. So, unless Utah doesn’t plan to give him a second contract once his rookie contract expires, letting him go wouldn’t be of much benefit to them. Yet, given that Danny Ainge is calling the shots in Utah, it is fair to expect the unexpected. Keep an eye out for this deal as the trade deadline is still far away on February 6th.