We're only two weeks into the 2025-26 NBA regular season, and a season-ending injury to a significant player has already happened.
Not only is this a huge hit for the player's team to endure, but it has massive implications on the rest of the NBA.
What player's season-ending injury has massive implications for the league?
NBA insider Chris Haynes reported on Wednesday that Jazz center Walker Kessler will be out for the remainder of the 2025-26 NBA season, as he'll need surgery to fix a torn labrum in his left shoulder.
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That's after just five appearances this season, where Kessler was playing great basketball, averaging 14.4 points, 10.8 rebounds and 1.8 blocks.
The Jazz haven't had the strongest start to their season and weren't seen as a playoff team anyway, but this injury could have an impact on more than just the Jazz.
Kessler has been one of the players most often in trade rumors, as he's one of the most valuable assets that a team could realistically trade for.
It's not known if he would have eventually been traded, but if the Jazz continued to play poorly and had an awful record, they might have eventually chosen to part ways with their 2022 first-round pick if an offer was on the table that would provide them with a quality return.
For now, Jusuf Nurkic, Kyle Filipowski and Utah's power forwards will have to absorb new roles/minute loads to replace the production that Kessler provided.
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