Utah Jazz center Walker Kessler will undergo surgery to repair a torn labrum in his left shoulder and is expected to be sidelined for the remainder of the 2025-26 NBA season, according to reports from The Athletic’s Tony Jones and NBA insider Chris Haynes.
ESPN’s Shams Charania confirmed the diagnosis and season-ending timeline. The injury was initially listed as left shoulder bursitis after Kessler was held out of Utah’s last two games.
Kessler, the 22nd overall pick in the 2022 draft, appeared in the Jazz’s first five contests this year, averaging 14.4 points, 10.8 rebounds, and 3.0 assists in 30.8 minutes per game. The 24-year-old had cemented his role as Utah’s starting center after arriving from Minnesota in the 2022 trade that sent Rudy Gobert to the Timberwolves.
Last season, Kessler established career highs with 11.1 points, 12.2 rebounds, and 1.7 assists across 58 appearances. He matched a personal best of 2.4 blocks per game and led the league with 4.6 offensive rebounds per night.
The Jazz have not yet announced a timetable for Kessler’s rehabilitation or any corresponding roster moves.
Source: Hoops Rumors
