What was supposed to be a breakout year for Walker Kessler hasn’t gone according to plan. The Utah Jazz center opened the season showing clear growth on both ends of the floor, stepping into a larger role and producing at a career-best pace. But just a few games into the schedule, the shoulder issue that had been lingering since preseason began to worsen, and what initially seemed like routine soreness quickly turned into something far more serious.

Kessler is undergoing season-ending left shoulder surgery to repair a torn labrum. ESPN’s Shams Charania first reported the procedure, which will sideline the fourth-year big man for several months. The injury occurred during the early stages of the season, though the exact moment of the tear remains unspecified.

The shoulder issue had been b

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