Kessler’s surgery will be for a torn labrum, an injury he first incurred in college at Auburn. David Berding / Getty Images
Utah Jazz starting center Walker Kessler will need surgery on his left shoulder and will miss the remainder of the season, league Sources said to The Athletic. The procedure is due to a torn labrum, an injury Kessler first incurred in college at Auburn.
BREAKING: Utah Jazz center Walker Kessler will need left shoulder surgery and will miss the remainder of the season, League Sources tell The Athletic
— Tony Jones (@Tjonesonthenba) November 5, 2025
With the Jazz on a road trip, Kessler was sent home for evaluation on the shoulder, which had been bothering him all season. With him, the Jazz were a team that had typically struggled to find defensive stops. Without him in the fold, the path for the Jazz to be a decent or good defensive team is more difficult.
The injury comes at a bad time for Kessler, who is set to become a restricted free agent at the end of the season. He and the Jazz briefly talked about a rookie extension. But, despite an offer from the Jazz, those talks didn’t get far down the road. The hope was for Kessler to have a big season, which would have helped his market next summer. However, the injury puts him in a precarious position.
Kessler is one of the best defenders and rim protectors in the league. Without him in the lineup, veteran Jusef Nurkic becomes the full-time starter. Second year forward Kyle Filipowski can also play some center. Forward Taylor Hendricks and even Lauri Markkanen can play some at the center spot in smaller alignments.
Nov 5, 2025
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