The signs were there all along that Walker Kessler wasn’t returning to the Jazz

The Utah Jazz traded center Walker Kessler to the Los Angeles Lakers this summer in exchange for multiple unprotected draft picks and pick swaps. Reporting indicates that the steep trade package heavily influenced Utah's decision to finalize the permanent transfer.

According to reporter Marc Stein, Kessler's camp had convinced Jazz officials that he planned to accept a qualifying offer rather than a long-term deal. This approach would have allowed Kessler to enter free agency next summer, prompting the franchise to complete the trade.