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Jusuf Nurkic to be Re-Evaluated in Two Weeks
Utah Jazz center Jusuf Nurkic (foot) is making progress from a partial plantar plate tear and will be re-evaluated in two weeks, the team announced Friday. The 32-year-old injured the second toe of his right foot during an Oct. 4 preseason game against Denver and has begun taking part in on-court activities. Nurkic averaged 10.9 points, 10.4 rebounds, and 4.8 assists last season. Jaxson Hayes should continue handling most of the center minutes while Nurkic remains sidelined, and Utah will likely keep mixing and matching behind him in the frontcourt.
Source: Utah Jazz
Source: Utah Jazz
Jaxson Hayes Returns Wednesday
Utah Jazz center Jaxson Hayes (shoulder) is available and will start Wednesday's game against the San Antonio Spurs after missing Monday with right shoulder soreness. The 26-year-old has averaged 10.3 points, 5.0 rebounds and 2.3 blocks in 23.7 minutes over three games. With Lauri Markkanen (wrist), Jaren Jackson Jr. (knee) and Jusuf Nurkic (foot) all sidelined, Hayes should have a sizable role in Utah's depleted frontcourt. Mo Bamba will likely still get meaningful minutes after posting 14 points, seven rebounds, and four blocks on Monday, but Hayes' return to the starting five lowers Bamba's short-term fantasy appeal.
Source: Paul Garcia
Source: Paul Garcia
Jaxson Hayes Carries Questionable Tag for Wednesday
Utah Jazz center Jaxson Hayes (shoulder) is questionable for Wednesday's game against the San Antonio Spurs after missing Monday's loss to Memphis with right shoulder soreness. Utah is already without Jaren Jackson Jr. (knee), who will miss at least six weeks with a torn MCL, and Jusuf Nurkic (foot), leaving Hayes with a clear path to more work once healthy. The 26-year-old is averaging 10.3 points, 5.0 rebounds, and 2.3 blocks in 23.7 minutes through three games. If Hayes remains out, Mo Bamba should stay busy after posting 14 points, seven rebounds, and four blocks Monday.
Source: Utah Jazz
Source: Utah Jazz
Jaren Jackson Jr. Exits Monday's Loss with Right-Knee Injury
Utah Jazz forward/center Jaren Jackson Jr. (knee) did not return to Monday's 110-105 loss to the Memphis Grizzlies after suffering a right knee injury in the second quarter. Jackson went down when Ty Jerome fell into his leg and finished with six points, three rebounds and two assists in 10 minutes. The former Defensive Player of the Year will undergo an MRI Tuesday after opening the season with averages of 19.7 points and 5.7 rebounds. With Lauri Markkanen (wrist) and Jusuf Nurkic (foot) also sidelined, Mo Bamba could take on a much larger role after posting 14 points, seven rebounds and four blocks Monday.
Source: Utah Jazz
Source: Utah Jazz
Jaxson Hayes Will Sit Monday Versus Grizzlies
Utah Jazz center Jaxson Hayes (shoulder) has been ruled out for Monday's game against the Memphis Grizzlies with right shoulder soreness. The 26-year-old was downgraded from questionable after posting nine points, five rebounds, one assist, and one steal in 19 minutes against the Lakers on Sunday. Hayes has opened the season averaging 10.3 points, 5.0 rebounds, and 2.3 blocks while shooting 81.3% from the field. With Jusuf Nurkic (foot) already unavailable, Utah will have to lean more on Kyle Filipowski and Mo Bamba inside. Hayes will have another chance to return Wednesday against San Antonio.
Source: Utah Jazz
Source: Utah Jazz
Jazz Claim Tony Bradley Off Waivers
The Utah Jazz have claimed center Tony Bradley off waivers, according to ESPN's Shams Charania. Bradley returns to the franchise where he spent his first three NBA seasons after averaging 5.3 points and 1.7 rebounds in limited preseason work with New York. The 28-year-old joins Utah on a non-guaranteed deal and adds depth while Jusuf Nurkic (foot) and Kyle Filipowski (back) are sidelined. Jaxson Hayes should see more center minutes early, with Jaren Jackson Jr. also capable of sliding to the five. Bradley owns career averages of 4.3 points and 3.8 rebounds and remains off the fantasy radar unless injuries push him into the rotation.
Source: Shams Charania
Source: Shams Charania
Jusuf Nurkic Sidelined at Least Four Weeks
According to Chris Haynes of NBA TV, Utah Jazz center Jusuf Nurkic (foot) will miss at least four weeks after suffering a partial plantar plate tear in the second toe of his right foot. The 32-year-old big man was projected to open the season as Utah's starting center but will now miss the start of the regular season. In his absence, Jaren Jackson Jr. could see additional minutes at center, while Mo Bamba and Jaxson Hayes may also take on expanded frontcourt roles.
Source: Chris Haynes
Source: Chris Haynes
Jaren Jackson Jr. Steps Into Bigger Frontcourt Role
Utah Jazz forward/center Jaren Jackson Jr. spent most of the summer training in Salt Lake City after left knee surgery limited him to three games with the team following February's blockbuster trade, according to ESPN's Tim MacMahon. The former Defensive Player of the Year is expected to be a key frontcourt piece as Utah tries to move out of lottery mode. Walker Kessler's move to the Lakers should push Jackson into more center minutes, with Jusuf Nurkic also in the mix. That could help revive Jackson's shot-blocking after he dipped to 1.4 blocks per game last season, well below the 3.0 he averaged in 2022-23. The scoring outlook is less clean, with Lauri Markkanen, Keyonte George, and No. 2 pick Darryn Peterson all needing touches, so Jackson's fantasy value may lean more on blocks, rebounds, and efficiency than high-end usage.
Source: Tim MacMahon
Source: Tim MacMahon
Jusuf Nurkic Dominates Italy with 25 Points, 14 Rebounds
Utah Jazz center Jusuf Nurkic carried Bosnia and Herzegovina to a 78-76 win over Italy in Friday's World Cup qualifier in Tuzla, posting 25 points and 14 rebounds on 11-for-19 shooting in just over 22 minutes. The 32-year-old had not played competitive basketball since February, when nose surgery ended his NBA season. Utah's frontcourt looks different this time around. Nurkic re-signed on a two-year, $22 million deal in June and projects as the starting center after the Jazz sent Walker Kessler to the Lakers, with Jaren Jackson Jr. slotting in beside him. Kyle Filipowski is the main threat to those minutes, though Nurkic averaged 10.9 points, 10.4 rebounds, and 4.8 assists in 26.4 minutes across 41 games last season. That rebounding and passing floor makes him worth tracking as camp approaches.
Source: Keith Smith
Source: Keith Smith
Jaren Jackson Jr. Excited for First Jazz Offseason
Utah Jazz forward/center Jaren Jackson Jr. opened up about his trade from Memphis and his first offseason in Utah during a recent podcast appearance. "I'm really excited, honestly. I've been in Utah a lot this summer," Jackson said, per KSL Sports. The former Defensive Player of the Year arrived in a February blockbuster but played only three games for Utah before a PVNS growth in his left knee required season-ending surgery. With Walker Kessler now in Los Angeles, Jackson should have a major frontcourt role next to Lauri Markkanen and Jusuf Nurkic, while rookie guard Darryn Peterson gives the Jazz another creator. Jackson's points, threes, and blocks remain fantasy-friendly, but his knee updates will matter before draft day.
Source: KSL Sports
Source: KSL Sports
Mo Bamba Returns to Jazz on Two-Year Deal
Free-agent center Mo Bamba agreed to a two-year deal to return to the Utah Jazz, according to ESPN's Shams Charania. Bamba appeared in four NBA games last season between Toronto and Utah, averaging 2.5 points, 5.5 rebounds, and 0.3 assists, but he was more productive with the Salt Lake City Stars at 16.2 points, 12.0 rebounds, and 2.0 blocks per game. The 28-year-old gives Utah another rim-protecting depth option behind Jusuf Nurkic. Bamba's blocks remain the fantasy hook, but he needs a real rotation role before becoming more than an injury-dependent streamer.
Source: Shams Charania
Source: Shams Charania
Jaxson Hayes Joining the Jazz
Free-agent center Jaxson Hayes is signing a two-year, $12 million contract with the Utah Jazz, according to ESPN's Tim MacMahon. Hayes moves from the Los Angeles Lakers, who just added former Jazz center Walker Kessler in a sign-and-trade, to a crowded frontcourt rotation in Utah. Jusuf Nurkic, Jaren Jackson Jr., Kyle Filipowski, and Lauri Markkanen are returning, and everyone in that quartet can stretch the floor, something Hayes has not added to his game since entering the NBA. He's strictly a rim-running big that provides depth for the Jazz. Hayes averaged 7.5 points and 4.1 rebounds in 18.3 minutes per game last season.
Source: Tim MacMahon - ESPN
Source: Tim MacMahon - ESPN
Lakers Acquire Walker Kessler in Sign-And-Trade With Utah
The Los Angeles Lakers have sent multiple draft picks to the Utah Jazz in a sign-and-trade deal for center Walker Kessler, according to ESPN's Shams Charania. The Lakers are subsequently giving the 24-year-old a four-year, $130 million contract with a fourth-season player option. Los Angeles was linked to multiple centers this offseason as they searched for a rim-runner to pair with Luka Doncic. Kessler's 2025-26 season was cut short after just five games, but he continued his run of averaging a double-double that dated back to the 2024-25 season. During that campaign, he led the league with 4.6 offensive rebounds per game. Kessler has also averaged 2.4 blocks per game across his four seasons. In return, the Jazz are receiving unprotected first-round picks in 2031 and 2033 and first-round swaps in 2028 and 2030.
Source: Shams Charania - ESPN
Source: Shams Charania - ESPN
Walker Kessler Draws Multiple Offers in Restricted Free Agency
Utah Jazz center Walker Kessler has met with multiple teams and holds several offers in the mid-to-high $30 million range annually, according to Tony Jones of The Athletic. Utah issued Kessler a qualifying offer, so the Jazz can still match any offer sheet. The 24-year-old was limited to five games last season after left shoulder surgery, but he averaged 14.4 points, 10.8 rebounds, 3.0 assists, 1.8 blocks, and 1.4 steals while shooting 70.3% from the field. If healthy, Kessler remains a strong fantasy target for blocks, boards, and elite efficiency wherever he lands.
Source: Tony Jones
Source: Tony Jones
Jusuf Nurkic Plans to Remain in Utah
According to Shams Charania of ESPN, free agent center Jusuf Nurkic intends to sign a two-year, $22 million contract to return to the Utah Jazz. Nurkic became a full-time starter last season after Walker Kessler (shoulder) underwent season-ending surgery to repair a torn left labrum. The 31-year-old averaged 10.9 points, 10.4 rebounds, 4.8 assists and 1.3 steals in 26.4 minutes per contest in 41 regular-season appearances (36 starts). He missed the final two months of the season after undergoing nose surgery in mid-February, but he should be ready to go by training camp.
Source: Shams Charania
Source: Shams Charania
