SALT LAKE CITY – Utah Jazz CEO of Basketball Operations Danny Ainge took to the local airwaves hours after news broke of center Walker Kessler undergoing surgery that will force him to miss the rest of the regular season.
Ainge joined Hans & Scotty G. on KSL Sports Zone to discuss the Walker Kessler injury and Utah’s start to the 2025-26 season on Wednesday, November 5.
“Walker is a real big part of our team, and it’s a bummer for everybody,” Ainge said of the surgery Kessler will undergo to repair a torn left labrum. “He’s put in a lot of work this summer. He got off to a really good start this year. Yeah, it’s unfortunate for everyone involved.”
RELATED: Walker Kessler Out For Season With Labrum Injury
The Jazz have not disclosed when the injury occurred, but Kessler previously missed the team’s first three preseason games due to an issue with the same shoulder.
“I have all the faith in Walker and our team that it’ll put him back together physically,” Ainge continued. “It’s a real important time for him to just watch and study and be around and help all the young players and learn himself. And keeps diving into the film and paying attention mentally, to how he can get better there.”
Ainge mentioned Kessler is in good spirits despite the setback.
Asked what message he would deliver to a player in Kessler’s situation, Ainge said, “I think just hang in there. It’s not fun going through these things as players. But like I said, this is an injury that most everybody comes back from feeling better. Walker has had some shoulder issues and missed some games with shoulder pain. So it’ll be good to get it resolved.”
Kessler was averaging 14.4 points, 10.8 rebounds, three assists, 1.8 blocks, and 1.4 steals in five games this season.
Who gets minutes with Kessler out?
With the expected backbone of their defense sidelined, who will head coach Will Hardy turn to?
Ainge pointed to both internal development and the potential of going the free agent or trade route to bolster the rotation.
“I think we’ve got to go look outside,” Ainge began. “But I think inside, we have some good players that can help us in the meantime. We’re going to continue to look and try to strengthen our team the best we can.”
JUSUF NURKIC GAME WINNER
🔥🔥🔥
pic.twitter.com/FW0yoC6f1p
— Hoop Central (@TheHoopCentral) November 4, 2025
Jusuf Nurkić and Kevin Love have already seen a change in their minutes, but Will Hardy has plenty of short and long-term solutions at the center position.
“Oscar (Tshiebwe) is down in the G-League, Mo Bamba is down in the G-League,” Ainge reminded. “Taylor Hendricks will probably get some minutes at center, I’d guess. Kyle Filipowski played some center the second half of last year and played really well, especially on the offensive end. So we have some other options in-house right now, and we’re excited to give them opportunities.”
Danny Ainge is enjoying Keyonte George’s Year 3 growth
One of the first bets Ainge made with the Jazz was selecting Keyonte George out of Baylor with the 16th pick of the 2023 NBA draft.
After two enigmatic seasons, it was difficult to predict which path the 6’4 combo guard would take in his career.
Keyonte George over his last 5 games:
31 PTS – 5 REB – 4 AST
25 PTS – 2 REB – 7 AST
17 PTS – 8 REB – 9 AST
29 PTS – 2 REB – 8 AST
26 PTS – 5 REB – 10 AST
(Via @realapp ) pic.twitter.com/n46bKc3YLk
— NBACentral (@TheDunkCentral) November 4, 2025
Would he be the sharp-shooting floor leader he has flashed on occasion in 149 career games? Or would he be the emotional, easily frustrated, sometimes overwhelmed player that has frustrated fans and coaches alike?
“He seems really in a good place right now emotionally, before the season started,” Ainge continued. “It started this summer with his hard work, his conditioning… He was really focused and on all the right things. I think it’s showing. It’s fun to see that a player of his caliber be rewarded for putting in the work that’s necessary.”
RELATED: Keyonte George Carries Jazz To First Road Win Over Celtics
Besides a career-high 23.1 points per game, George has been everything Hardy could ask for as a floor general. The 6’4 guard adds 3.7 rebounds, a career-high 8.1 assists, and one steal per game.
While his shooting is yet to come around, his increased free-throw rate has made him a much more efficient scorer. George gets to the free-throw line 9.6 times per night and converts at 91 percent.
*this is a keyonte george appreciation post* pic.twitter.com/zf5IxRHoDF
— Utah Jazz (@utahjazz) November 4, 2025
Behind George is rookie Walt Clayton Jr. and second-year PG Isaiah Collier.
Collier recently returned to the active roster after suffering a strained hamstring before training camp that kept him out for the start of the regular season.
“I like Isaiah, too. That was a bummer when he got hurt in that summer before training camp and he’s been out,” Ainge said of Collier’s injury. “He’s been working hard to get himself back. He played in an exhibition game the other day in the G-League. He looked better physically, just a little bit rusty, but his time is coming.”
Follow the Utah Jazz with KSL Sports
The Jazz will be in the Land of 1,000 Lakes as they play the first of two consecutive games against the Minnesota Timberwolves. Tipoff at Target Center is at 6 p.m. MT on Friday, November 7.
All Jazz games will be broadcast live on the KSL Sports Zone (97.5 FM/1280 AM). KSL NewsRadio (102.7 FM / 1160 AM) occasionally broadcasts Jazz games.
Utah Jazz fans can watch the team’s games next season for free over the air on KJZZ TV and can stream the games through a paid streaming-based platform on the team’s website. KJZZ is currently broadcast on channel 14.1.
Ben Anderson is the Utah Jazz insider for KSL Sports and the co-host of Jake and Ben from 10- 12 p.m. with Jake Scott on 97.5 The KSL Sports Zone . Find Ben on Twitter at @BensHoops, on Instagram @BensHoops, or on BlueSky.
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Brian Preece is a KSLSports.com insider covering Locals in MLB and the Salt Lake Bees. Follow Brian’s Bees and Beehive baseball here. Find Brian onX,Instagram, andBlueSky at @bpreece24.