Resonance

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Utah Jazz Match Pistons' Offer Sheet For Kessler

Salt Lake City, UT. - The Detroit Pistons offered a 3 year, $80.86 million dollar deal to restricted free-agent Walker Kesssler over the weekend, a deal the Utah Jazz quickly matched.

"We understand that Walker is frustrated with losing, we are too," began CEO Danny Ainge, "But we believe that Walker is a key part of turning this ship around. We're confident that despite his interest in leaving Utah, we'll be able to find an amicable situation for all involved."

When asked about the Jazz matching his offer sheet, Kessler admitted it was "the expected result." When asked if there would be any hard feelings after his comments, Kessler didn't mince words.

"I said nothing bad about the organization, or the city. I just stated I want to win. If they have a problem with that, maybe they beed to refocus.

"So long as our ultimate goal is to win, I don't foresee a problem."

With the contract for Kessler finalized, with Utah planning on matching any offer for their big man, the Jazz will now focus on adding any impact talent.

The Jazz have reportedly reached out to free agent guards Quentin Grimes and Cameron Thomas. Both would give the Jazz an injection of outside shooting that the team is reportedly prioritizing this offseason, but Grimes would keep the defensive minded attitude the Jazz adopted post-deadline.

"Thomas is a lights out scorer and doesn't need the ball to get looks. Him off-ball with Ace Bailey and Boozer in the PNR could be an unstoppable trio. But he also brings defensive concerns and could be an awkward fight with defensive-optional players like Keyonte George and Isaiah Collier," noted a source close to the Jazz.

The other problem is that Thomas is a restricted free-agent, meaning the Brooklyn Nets could simply match any offer. If Utah offers Thomas over Grimes, they run the risk of missing out on both players, while also alienating Antony Black in the process.

In other news, PG Trae Young ultimately returned to the Atlanta Hawks on a five year, $286.7 million dollar deal announcing he "couldn't leave" after falling just short in the NBA Finals last year.

"The A needs a championship and I'm ready to run it back," Young posted on IG.

Other notable deals include James Harden returning to the Clippers on a three year, $165.9 million dollar deal and Jalen Duren going to the Lakers for three years and $77.26 million.

Moratorium Day 1 Deals
PG Trae Young | 5 years / $286.7M
C Walker Kessler | 3 years / $80.86M
SG James Harden | 3 years / $165.9M
SF Bennedict Mathurin | 4 years / $94.82M
C Jalen Duren | 3 years / $77.26M
PF John Collins | 3 years / $61.92M
PF Tari Eason | 3 years / $54.9M
PG Afernee Simons | 3 years / $46.79M
SG Collin Sexton | 3 years / $45.65M

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Jazz Send Three Year, $53 Million Dollar Offer Sheet To Cam Thomas

Salt Lake City, UT. - With Walker Kessler officially re-signed, the Utah Jazz are turning their attention to their next offseason priority: three-point shooting.

"It's no secret we shied away from the three-ball last year," admitted head coach Will Howard. "We sacrificed a lot of our spacing, a lot of our outside threats when Lauri and Brice were shipped out at the deadline."

With Cameron Boozer already in the fold, a crafty three-level scorer who should space the floor alongside Kessler, the Jazz are targeting young, high-upside wings who don't need the ball in their hands to be effective.

Utah has been in talks with both Quentin Grimes and Cam Thomas, though only Thomas has received a formal contract offer so far.

The Brooklyn Nets tendered Thomas a qualifying offer as a restricted free agent, giving them the right to match any deal. But early reports out of Brooklyn suggest they're lukewarm on committing nearly $15 million annually to a high-volume scorer who hasn't moved the needle in the win column over the past few seasons.

The Jazz have also extended a two-year contract offer to Robert Williams III to back up the newly re-signed Kessler.

[Agent]

what a legacy for Carlos to have both of his sons drafted to Utah

also these are my all time favorite Jazz jerseys

Picking up Cam Thomas could be major. He's super duper streaky though. Brodie gonna get 40 then 4 the next game

[redsox907]

what a legacy for Carlos to have both of his sons drafted to Utah

also these are my all time favorite Jazz jerseys

this is what I was hinting at a few weeks ago when I said I'm bringing someone home

ngl, I'm glad the Thunder took AJ. That would have been a tough choice

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Cam Thomas Heading To Utah After Nets Decline To Match Offer Sheet

Salt Lake City, UT. - The Utah Jazz entered the offseason with two clear objectives: re-sign Walker Kessler and add perimeter shooting.

Check and check.

After locking up Kessler, the Jazz used their ample cap space to offer sharpshooter Cam Thomas a three-year, $53.3 million contract, one the Brooklyn Nets opted not to match.

"Cam is exactly the kind of player we envisioned sliding in next to Ace and Cameron," said CEO Danny Ainge. "He's a knockdown shooter from everywhere on the court, shoots at a high percentage, and doesn't need the ball in his hands to impact the game."

Thomas' addition likely pushes shooting guard Anthony Black into a reserve role alongside projected sixth man Keyonte George, giving the Jazz a potent blend of offense and defense in their guard rotation.

The Jazz also inked former Trail Blazer and Celtic Robert "Timelord" Williams III to a two-year, $24 million contract to back up Kessler.

"We struggled with our defensive identity at times when Walker hit the bench last year, especially early on when he was hurt," confirmed head coach Will Hardy. "Robert brings the same length, athleticism, and shot-blocking ability, so we don't have to sacrifice our game plan when Walker needs a breather."

Utah is not expected to make any further free-agent offers but is reportedly exploring trades for both small forward Jaime Jaquez Jr. and Kyle Filipowski, with both players seeing their potential playing time take significant hits after the draft and free agency.

Notable Day 2 Moratorium Signings
SG Cam Thomas | 3 years / $53.3M
C Robert Williams III | 2 years $24.11M
SG Quentin Grimes | 3 years / $31.19M
PG CJ McCollum | 2 years / $17.76M
SF Khris Middleton | 2 years / $17.14M
PG Chris Paul | 1 year / $5.40M
PG Ben Simmons | 2 year / $10.6M

[Agent]

What a deal.

CP3 said ONE MORE YEAR

Charlotte just wasting money

[Captain Canada]

Getting both the Boozer brothers is a nice pickup. Managing the Walker Kessler situation is going to be interesting, but I love the Cam Thomas pickup.

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What a deal.

CP3 said ONE MORE YEAR

Charlotte just wasting money

I was shocked that Brooklyn didn't match the offer

CP3 going to the NBA Champs is hilarious. Trying to get a ring before retirement, can't hate it

Getting both the Boozer brothers is a nice pickup. Managing the Walker Kessler situation is going to be interesting, but I love the Cam Thomas pickup.

once I drafted Cam I knew what I had to do in the 2nd round

Kessler's mode is currently "Extremely Unhappy" lmao but yet loyalty is "Very High" on his profile!? Hopefully winning makes him happy. Hoping that we win.

If Thomas had better defense he would be the perfect compliment to Ace, but even so both Ace and Collier have solid defensive ratings and we've got Black in reserve if we need some stops. But he should open up the spacing. Black got a big boost in Perimeter shooting in the offseason, but there were times that only Keyonte could hit a 3 on the floor. George/Black/JJJ/Isaac/Kessler on the floor was rough

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Atlanta Runs It Back With Porzingis As Free Agency Wraps

The Atlanta Hawks rode the duo of Trae Young and Kristaps Porzingis to the #2 seed in the Eastern Conference and an eventual NBA Finals berth and despite being swept 4-0 by the Dallas Mavericks, have decided to run it back with the duo.

First, Trae Young signed a give year extension to remain with the Hawks. Five days later, as free agency was winding down, the Hawks and Porzingis came to terms on a four year, $129 million dollar extension to keep the "unicorn" in Atlanta.

Porzingis wasn't the only player who opted to remain with their former club as Rui Hachimura (3yr/$26.75M), Mark Williams (3yr/$44.43M), and Jonathan Kuminga (1yr/$11.21M) all agreed to new deals to remain in familiar territory.

While the Utah Jazz were done in free agency, they did make a trade sending PF Kyle Filipowski to the Golden State Warriors for a 2028 1st Round pick.

"Kyle voiced displeasure with how he viewed his fit in Utah, and requested a trade. He was obviously going to see some reduced minutes with our drafting of Camden, so we put out feelers for his value. Golden State was the first to call, wanting to add some floor spacing at the 4 spot.

"With Steph Curry likely retiring soon, a 2028 1st could prove to be plenty valuable. We wish Kyle the best going forward," said CEO Danny Ainge on the move.

Final Free Agency Signings
C Kristaps Porzingis | 4 years / $129M
C Isaiah Hartenstein | 3 years / $46.79M
PF PJ Washington | 3 years / $31.28M
C Nikola Vucevic | 2 years / $27.22M
PF Rui Hachimura | 3 years / $26.75M
SF Kelly Oubre Jr | 2 years / $11.27M
C DeAndre Ayton | 3 years / $45.64M
SG Bradley Beal | 3 years / $33.81M
C Mark Williams | 3 years / $44.43M
C Andre Drummond | 1 year / $2.38M
C Mitchell Robinson | 2 years / $16.32M
PF Tobias Harris | 2 years / $18.55M
SF Ayo Dosunmu | 2 years / $11.98M
PG Lonzo Ball | 2 years / $15.15M
PG Kevin Porter Jr | 2 years / $8.65M
PF Jonathan Kuminga | 1 year / $11.21M

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Utah Jazz 2026 Season Preview

Salt Lake City, UT. - It's only been five years since the Utah Jazz last made the playoffs with a 49-33 record during the 2021-22 season before losing to the Dallas Mavericks in the first round. Utah traded both Rudy Gobert and Donovan Mitchell that offseason, and it's been a steady decline ever since.

A 17-win season in 2024 felt like rock bottom—then the Jazz added insult to injury by dropping to fifth in the draft lottery.

Despite Ace Bailey's productive Rookie of the Year campaign in 2025, the Jazz still finished with a 16-66 record, the worst mark in franchise history. But despite hitting an even lower floor than the previous year, there's optimism in Utah for the first time since trading their two stars in 2022.

Bailey is looking to build on a rookie campaign in which he poured in nearly 18 points per game. Walker Kessler is back—albeit begrudgingly—to anchor the defense once again. Keyonte George and Isaiah Collier both improved significantly in the second half of the season, with George sneaking into the Sixth Man of the Year conversation. Add in drafting Cameron Boozer, the son of Jazz legend Carlos Boozer, and signing sharpshooter Cam Thomas, and the Jazz finally have a core that not only looks like it will mesh well on paper but may actually move the needle.

"I think if you look at the Jazz, there are a lot of ifs," conceded one NBA executive. "You're banking on Ace Bailey contributing as the number one scorer for an entire season—remember, Lauri was taking the defensive attention early in the year—and not wilting down the stretch. You're counting on Collier to improve enough defensively to make up for Cam Thomas' defensive inefficiency. Counting on Kessler to remain engaged even though he was clearly frustrated last year, and then both him and Williams staying healthy to boot.

"And of course, banking on Boozer to be NBA-ready as a scoring complement to Bailey. That's a lot of ifs. But if they hit on at least half of those, the Jazz could be sneaky good this year."

The talking heads around the country seem split on the same sentiment. Some have the Jazz as high as a fourth seed in the crowded West. Others are calling for another basement season.

To their credit, the Jazz aren't listening to the noise.

"We know that no one expects much out of us, and that's okay," said Ace Bailey, who sources say grew into a leadership role after the Markkanen trade last year and has continued that growth over the summer.

"We're just focusing on getting better every day, getting more acclimated with how we all like to play. If guys want to underestimate us? That's fine. We're just going to go out there and put our best foot forward every day."

CEO Danny Ainge is reportedly extremely optimistic about Bailey's growth over the offseason—not just as a player, but as a leader as well.

"He's really embraced it," said the former Celtics legend. "After we traded Lauri last year, I pulled him into the office and told him it was his team, but he had to act like it. Lead by example and hold guys accountable."

According to sources, Bailey was the first to schedule team workouts outside the facility during the offseason and the first to reach out to recently signed Cam Thomas and Robert Williams about joining in on team festivities. Even with Kessler voicing his displeasure, Bailey constantly messaged him, telling him how much he meant to the team and how far he felt they could go if he stuck around.

The other encouraging part of the upcoming Jazz season has been the play of power forward Cameron Boozer in summer league.

Boozer averaged 26 points and 8 rebounds as the Jazz went 8-0 and won the Summer League championship, with Boozer recording a team-high 44 points in the title game.

"Obviously, summer league and the regular season are different," noted one league source. "But the Jazz were extremely encouraged by what they saw in camp and his summer league performance. Cameron is already a polished offensive player with an impressive scoring repertoire, and they expect him to flourish defensively alongside the shot-blocking prowess of Kessler."

Obviously, the games will ultimately determine if the Jazz are truly turning the corner.

But for the first time since Donovan Mitchell graced the court, there's hope in Salt Lake City.

Utah Jazz 2026 Roster
PG | #8 Isaiah Collier | 22 | 6'4 | 210lbs | USC | 79
SG | #23 Cameron Thomas | 25 | 6'3 | 210lbs | LSU | 81
SF | #19 Ace Bailey | 20 | 6'9 | 200lbs | Rutgers | 84
PF | #33 Cameron Boozer | 19 | 6'9 | 250lbs | Duke | 79
C | #24 Walker Kessler | 25 | 7'2 | 245lb | Auburn | 84
6th | G #3 Keyonte George | 22 | 6'4 | 185lb | Baylor | 81
7th | G/F #0 Anthony Black | 22 | 6'7 | 200lbs | Arkansas | 82
8th | C #16 Robert Williams III | 29 | 6'9 | 249lbs | 78
9th | SF #11 Jaime Jaquez Jr | 25 | 6'6 | 230lbs | UCLA | 78
10th | PF #15 Jonathan Isaac | 29 | 6'10 | 230lbs | Florida State | 73
RES | F #10 Koa Peat | 19 | 6'8 | 235lbs | Arizona | 74
RES | F #5 Cody Wiliams | 21 | 6'8 | 190lbs | Colorado | 76
RES | G #45 Davion Mitchell | 28 | 6'0 | 210lbs | Baylor | 77
RES | G #13 Walter Clayton Jr | 23 | 6'4 | 195lbs | Florida | 76
RES | G #18 Cayden Boozer | 19 | 6'4 | 205lbs | Duke | 70