On Walker Kessler,
He played only 5 games last year before having a season ending injury. In those 5 games, he started shooting 3s. Apparently he had been working on it in the summer.
He shot only 56 threes in his first 3 seasons (196 games) and made only 20% of them. In his little 5 game sample, he took 8 threes for 1.7 threes attempted per game. He made 6 of the 8 but I am more interested that he was popping out and looking to take them. Making an effort to take 3s. Clearly something he had worked on in the summer. To become more well rounded offensively.
I am reading some Jazz fans who feel he has some potential as a passer too that was under-utilized in Utah. I don't know.
There is a scenario where he was ready for a breakout season last year but got hurt ... and could break out next year after he gets his big new deal and actually looks very good value at price point.
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I am thinking of Jalen Duren. Kessler, like Duren, is already one of the best finishers in the league around the basket among rim running centers. Kessler is already a better defender then Duren. He is comparable rebounder at Duren.
Kessler just doesn't play on a team as talented as DET or with an individual teammate as talented as Cade Cunningham.
If you had those 2 guys switch teams, I am not sure you would see much difference in team performance.
Duren is looking at $40+mil.
Kessler is asking for somewhere north of $30mil.