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Isaiah Hartenstein
The New York Knicks’ search for a replacement for Isaiah Hartenstein stalled when the price of one of their transfer targets doubled.
According to Jovan Buha of The Athletic, the Utah Jazz’s asking price for center Walker Kessler has increased from at least one first-round pick to now two first-round picks.
“All the information coming out of Utah is that Walker Kessler is going to have to pay a big price. They demanded a couple of first-round picks,” Buha said on August 9 on his podcast “Buha’s Block.”
The Jazz’s price appeared to double after SNY’s Ian Begley reported on July 9 that they had demanded at least a first-round pick in previous talks with teams.
“The Knicks have shown interest in Kessler,” Begley said. “I was later told that teams had offered Utah two first-rounders in the last few weeks, but they were turned down.”
“Obviously, we don’t know the value of the first-round picks being offered. Not all first-round picks are the same,” he said. “Those picks are protected, but that gives you a little idea of how the Jazz value Kessler and what it would take to lure him out of Utah.”
Buha noted that Jazz CEO Danny Ainge “always tries to win the trade.”
Kessler, 23, and 26-year-old Nick Richards of the Charlotte Hornets are two of the Knicks’ transfer targets, according to Michael Scotto of Hoopshype, as possible replacements for Isaiah Hartenstein, who signed with the Oklahoma City Thunder in July.
Kessler finished last season as the league’s second-best shot blocker with 2.4 goals per game, behind Victor Wembanyama (3.6), the San Antonio Spurs’ Rookie of the Year.
Kessler, the 22nd pick in 2022, played for Team USA at the FIBA World Championship in Manila, Philippines last year after being named to the All-NBA Rookie First Team.
Knicks tried to sign French Olympic star
According to Begley, the Knicks tried to bring French center and Olympic star Mathias Lessort to the NBA.
“New York has inquired about Lessort’s interest in signing him, but the player and team have not been able to come to an agreement,” Begley wrote in his SNY mailbag on August 8 before the gold medal game between Teams USA and France.
The 6’1″ Lessort played a key role in France’s run to the gold medal game, posting 13 points, 5 rebounds and 1 block against Canada in the quarterfinals, and then 10 points, 4 rebounds, 1 steal and 1 block against Germany in the semifinals.
The 28-year-old Lessort averaged 7.2 points, 3.3 rebounds and 1.2 assists in just 13.6 minutes off the bench as France’s sixth man.
Before his breakthrough with Les Blues, Lessort had just finished a title fight and had been selected for the Euroleague first team.
Lessort helped Panathinaikos win its seventh Euroleague title with 17 points and six rebounds in the final against Real Madrid. He will return to Panathinaikos for the final year of his current contract.
The Knicks acquired Lessort’s draft rights in a clever trade that landed them Immanuel Quickley in the 2020 NBA Draft.
Jacob Toppin returns after 2-way deal
Jacob Toppin, the younger brother of former Knicks lottery pick Obi Toppin, is returning on a new two-way contract, the team announced Wednesday, Aug. 14.
Toppin completes the Knicks’ two-way slots, joining rookies Ariel Hukporti and Kevin McCullar Jr. According to NBA rules, players with two-way contracts are allowed to play in a maximum of 50 games.
Toppin played in 17 games for the Westchester Knicks of the G League last season. He averaged 14.9 points and 6.9 rebounds, shooting 40.6% from the field and 30.3% from the 3-point line. He also represented the Knicks in the NBA Slam Dunk Competition last All-Star Weekend, but did not make the finals.
Alder Almo is a basketball journalist who covers the NBA for Heavy.com. He has more than 15 years of experience in local and international media, including broadcast, print and digital. He previously covered the Knicks for Empire Sports Media and the NBA for Off the Glass. Alder is from the Philippines and now lives in Jersey City, New Jersey. More about Alder Almo
