The New York Knicks’ search for Isaiah Hartenstein’s replacement has stalled after the price of one of their trade targets doubled.
From at least one first-round pick to two first-round picks, the Utah Jazz’s asking price for center Walker Kessler has increased, according to Jovan Buha of The Athletic.
“All the information coming out of Utah has been ‘that’s a high price’ for Walker Kessler. They’ve asked for a couple first-round picks,” Buha said on his “Buha’s Block” podcast on Aug. 9.
The Jazz’s asking price appears to have doubled after SNY’s Ian Begley reported on July 9 that they had asked for at least a first-round pick in previous discussions with teams.
“The Knicks have shown interest in Kessler,” Begley said. “I was later told that teams had offered two first-round picks to Utah in the last two weeks, but they were rejected.
“Obviously, we don’t know the value of the first-round picks that were offered. Not all first-round picks are created equal,” he said. “There are protections on those picks, but that gives you a little idea of how the Jazz value Kessler and what it would take to pry him away from Utah.”