There is legitimate concern about the roster construction of the team now, as well as the potential cap hit Kessler might command down the road.

In 32 games with the Jazz this season, Kessler averages 10.8 points, 11.3 rebounds, and 2.5 blocks on 72.0% field goal shooting. On the other hand, Springer has only appeared in 35 games with the Celtics since the beginning of the 2023-24 season.

The NBA odds already have Utah listed as a massive underdog, and that spread could continue to grow with injuries up front for the visitor. With potential holes around the hoop, center Walker Kessler is called upon to pick up the slack in both scoring and rebounding.

The Utah Jazz (10-31) will travel to face the Oklahoma City Thunder (35-7) tonight in a battle between the top and bottom of the Western Conference. Utah has lost three straight games and 11 of their last 14.