RealGM Basketball Wiretap

05 December 2023

• Walker Kessler Out At Least Two Weeks With UCL Sprain In Left Elbow

  Walker Kessler sustained a ulnar collateral ligament (UCL) sprain in his left elbow in the first game of the season.

  The injury was diagnosed by MRI testing after Kessler continued to play and experienced discomfort. Rest with non-contact activities has been recommended to accelerate his recovery process.

  Kessler will be reevaluated in two weeks.

• Russell Westbrook 'Absolutely' Considered Remaining With Jazz Last Season

  In trading for Russell Westbrook last February, the Utah Jazz allowed him to move past his situation with the Los Angeles Lakers. Westbrook was bought out and signed with the Los Angeles Clippers.

  "I'm grateful for them just because - for many reasons," said Westbrook.

  Westbrook "absolutely" gave serious consideration to remaining with the Jazz.

  "I would have come in and did whatever they asked me to do," Westbrook said. "I told them I could be a mentor. Whatever I needed to do to help, I would have done it. Like always I do whatever is best for the team. If that's to come and sit my ass there in street clothes and make sure I help the young guys, I'll do that."

  Westbrook remained in Los Angeles after the trade. Westbrook wanted to join a playoff contender where he would also be certain to receive minutes. The Jazz were prioritizing the development of younger players, but they told Westbrook they would welcome him if he chose to report.

  "I just wanted to make sure that he knew how much I respect him as a player," Will Hardy said. "And that whatever the decision ends up being, that he's always welcome here with me. I've had a lot of respect for him for a long time. I've been on staffs in San Antonio in particular where we played Oklahoma City in the playoffs a lot, so I've seen Russell up close and personal. You know, his reputation speaks for itself.

  "And so as a coach, it was really just about opening the line of communication that if there was anything that he needed from me, any conversations that he wanted to have, any questions he had about the situation here in terms of the team day to day, that I was available."

• Jazz Exercise 24-25 Options On Walker Kessler, Ochai Agbaji

  The Utah Jazz have exercised team options for 24-25 on the rookie scale contracts of guard Ochai Agbaji and center Walker Kessler.

  Agbaji played in 59 games (22 starts) in his first professional season, averaging 7.9 points, 2.1 rebounds, and 1.1 assists in 20.5 minutes per game. In his last 15 games (all starts) in 2022-23, he logged averages of 14.7 points, 2.9 boards, 2.5 assists in 30.9 minutes per contest, logging a career-high 28 points against Denver on April 8. Originally picked with the 14th overall pick in the 2022 NBA Draft by Cleveland, the Kansas City, Mo., native helped Kansas to a 2022 National Championship as an All-America First Team selection, being named the NCAA's Most Outstanding Player during the Final Four.

  Kessler was a 2022-23 All-NBA Rookie First Team selection following his first season where he averaged 9.2 points, 8.4 rebounds, and 2.3 blocks in 74 games (40 starts). He was the first rookie since Tim Duncan in 1997-98 to record at least four games with seven-or-more blocks in a single season and was the first Jazz rookie to ever log a 30-point, 10-rebound game, doing so on the road against Sacramento on March 25 and also the first Jazz rookie to notch a 20-point, 20-rebound performance, doing so at Minnesota on Jan. 16. A native of Newnan, Ga., he was drafted in the first round of the 2022 NBA Draft by Minnesota with the 22nd overall pick. He represented the USA Men's Team at this summer's 2023 FIBA World Cup.

• Jazz Guarantee Kris Dunn Contract

  The Utah Jazz are guaranteeing Kris Dunn's contract, sources told Tony Jones of The Athletic.

  Dunn averaged 13.2 points in 22 games for the team last season.

• Jazz Sign And Waive Isaiah Miller

  The Utah Jazz have signed and waived Isaiah Miller. This transaction was done to get Miller to the Salt Lake City Stars of the G League.

  The Jazz roster stands at 15 players on standard contracts and three players signed to two-way contracts.

• Rockets Have Trade Interest In Alec Burks, Talen Horton-Tucker, Malcolm Brogdon

  The Houston Rockets have held trade discussions with the Detroit Pistons on a move for Alec Burks, sources tell Jake Fischer of Yahoo.

  Burks is on a $10.5 million salary that nearly matches that of Victor Oladipo, who the Rockets just acquired from the Oklahoma City Thunder as part of the Kevin Porter Jr. trade. Detroit has a crunch for available backcourt minutes.

  The Rockets have also touched base with the Utah Jazz on Talen Horton-Tucker, and with the Portland Trail Blazers on Malcolm Brogdon. Both Brogdon and the Blazers

• Josh Christopher, Jazz Agree To Two-Way Contract

  The Utah Jazz will sign Josh Christopher to a Two-Way contract.

  Christopher averaged seven points in 15.4 minutes across two seasons with the Houston Rockets. Christopher was a first round pick in 2021.

• Jazz Sign Michael Devoe, Keshawn Justice To Exhibit 10 Contracts

  The Utah Jazz have signed Michael Devoe and Keshawn Justice. Both players signed Exhibit 10 contracts, which will see them join the Salt Lake City Stars of the G League this season.

  Devoe spent last season with the Ontario Clippers in the G League. The 6-foot-4 guard averaged 6.5 points and 3.2 rebounds in 19.1 minutes per game.

  Justice went undrafted out of Santa Clara at the 2023 NBA Draft. He played in Summer League with the Jazz in both Salt Lake City and Las Vegas. The 6-foot-7 forward averaged 13.3 points and 4.1 rebounds as a senior for the Broncos.

• Jazz Waive Taevion Kinsey, Nick Ongenda

  The Utah Jazz waived Taevion Kinsey and Nick Ongenda on Wednesday.

  With both players signing Exhibit 10 deals, each player is expected to join the Salt Lake City Stars in the G League.

  The Jazz roster now stands at 19 players.

• Get Your Latest NBA News From RealGM's Basketball Wiretap
  Get all the latest news and happenings from around the NBA with RealGM's Basketball Wiretap.