After leaving the court in the second half their loss against the Brooklyn Nets after sustaining a head injury, Utah Jazz rookie center Walker Kessler has entered the league's concussion protocols, per ESPN's Tim MacMahon.
This will likely end Kessler's season, as there are only four games remaining on the regular season schedule for the Jazz.
However, with the Jazz holding a 36-42 record and just 1.5 games back from the 10th-place Oklahoma City Thunder for a spot in the play-in tournament, the 21-year-old Atlanta native could still suit up down the line in 2022-23.
As of now, Kessler leads the league in field goal percentage at 72.0 percent, with his hands and size allowing him to be a terrific safety net around the rim. This skill doesn't just allow him to be a highly efficient finisher though, as he also uses the traits to his advantage on the glass.
The 7-foot-1, 245-pound big man averages 8.4 rebounds per game, with 3.1 of them coming on the offensive end. For a team with a number of players that love to score around the rim, his ability to clean up after them has been a major reason that their offense has been surprisingly effective.
In fact, the Jazz have the ninth-best offensive rating in the league at 116.1 while holding the sixth-best scoring average (117.1).
Defensively, Utah is uninspiring as whole with them ranking 24th in both opponents points per game (117.8) and defensive rating (116.7). However, if they didn't average the fourth-most blocks in the league (5.4), there might be no need to discuss their chances of reaching the play-in tournament.
Hopefully, Kessler can continue his rookie season past this week. If not though, at least the Jazz know that they have a highly valuable player on the roster. Perhaps even a franchise cornerstone.