The New York Knicks spent part of the offseason looking for a long-term solution at center. Mitchell Robinson is currently Tom Thibodeau’s starting center, but his contract only runs through the 2025-26 season.
Still, there’s a sense that the Knicks could improve their offense, especially if their ultimate goal is to win the NBA Finals. However, the Knicks may have already tried to acquire a young long-term replacement for Robinson via trade.
Related: NBA Insider Suggests Julius Randle’s Trade Value Doesn’t Match His All-Star Status
New York Knicks in trade talks for Walker Kessler
The New York Knicks may be done making big trades this offseason after acquiring Mikal Bridges. But then again, management still has other assets at its disposal, including the aforementioned Mitchell Robinson.
According to Bleacher Report, the Knicks have even targeted Utah Jazz center Walker Kessler in trade talks.
“According to multiple sources, Utah has already discussed Kessler in a trade, including with the New York Knicks, who have not yet held discussions. He does not appear to be part of the team’s long-term plan.”
Eric Pincus on Talks Surrounding Walker Kessler’s Trade to the New York Knicks
While talks between the Jazz and Knicks have stalled for one reason or another, they could resume in the future. The Jazz have yet to commit to Kessler starting despite his presence on the All-Rookie team in 2022-23. Still, he has started just 62 of the 138 games he has played since arriving in Utah as part of the Rudy Gobert trade.
Kessler may never develop an all-around offensive skill set, but he’s already one of the NBA’s best blockers, averaging 2.4 blocks per game in his young career. At just 23 years old, Kessler still has plenty of room to grow in his future. Maybe a change of environment will allow Kessler to take the next step in his development, or maybe he’s already primed for a big season heading into his third year in the NBA.
Related: 2024-25 NBA Rookie of the Year: Alexandre Sarr and Zach Edey emerge as early favorites
