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The Utah Jazz shared some concerning news about center Walker Kessler after just five games into the season. Kessler is dealing with an injury and could miss the rest of the team’s road trip. According to KSL Sports’ Ben Anderson, the Jazz announced that Kessler has flown back home to Salt Lake City before their game against the Charlotte Hornets to undergo further testing on his injured shoulder. “Walker Kessler did not travel with the team to Charlotte. He has returned to Salt Lake City to undergo further testing on his left shoulder,” the Jazz said in a statement. Kessler played the first five games of the campaign, including the first one of the current five-game road trip against the Phoenix Suns on October 31. He was then ruled out with a shoulder bursitis for Sunday’s game in Charlotte before being sent back home to Utah. The Auburn product was averaging 14.4 points, 10.8 rebounds, 3.0 assist and 1.8 blocks while shooting 70.3% from the field before the injury. With him in Salt Lake City, he’s expected to miss the next three games against the Boston Celtics, Detroit Pistons and Minnesota Timberwolves. Kessler Dealt With Same Injury in the Preseason Walker Kessler has been dealing with shoulder bursitis since the preseason, as per Jared Koch of Sports Illustrated. Kessler missed the Utah Jazz’s first three preseason games before getting cleared to return before the season opener. The 7-foot-2 big man attributed his shoulder injury to his lever flaring up, though it’s unclear when he aggravated it. He had four points and 13 rebounds in 29 minutes in their 118-96 loss to the Phoenix Suns. It was a blowout, so the Jazz didn’t need to overplay him in the second half. In Kessler’s absence, the Jazz have plenty of options at center in Jusuf Nurkic and Kyle Filipowski. The team wasn’t considered a contender to start the campaign, so it’s going to be a tough season regardless. Kessler Still Linked to the Lakers Back when the Los Angeles Lakers were looking for a center after acquiring Luka Doncic, they were linked to Walker Kessler. However, the Lakers settled for Mark Williams of the Charlotte Hornets before rescinding the deal. NBA insider Jake Fischer reported on Bleacher Report’s Insider Notebook last October 24 that the Lakers are going to monitor next year’s free agent market for centers. Kessler is on their radar, as well as Jalen Duren of the Detroit Pistons. “From Walker Kessler to Jalen Duren to every other center that’s going to hit the open market next year, the fact that the Lakers are set to have cap space, agents and rival teams are looking at the Lakers as not having found their center of the future,” Fischer said, via Jared Koch of Jazz On SI. The Jazz and Kessler failed to reach an agreement on an extension this offseason. He’s set to become a restricted free agent next summer. It means he could sign with any team, but the Jazz have the right to match it.
