Jazz lose Lauri Markkanen and Jaren Jackson Jr. with injuries

Lauri Markkanen (Instagram)

Injury issues keep happening for the Utah Jazz. Two days after we reported that center Jusuf Nurkic of Tuzia, Bosnia and Herzegovina would be out for the rest of the season with nose surgery, the Jazz announced that power forward Lauri Markkanen of Vantaa, Finland would be out two weeks with hip and ankle injuries. It has also been reported this month that center Jaren Jackson Jr., who the Jazz acquired in a trade with the Memphis Grizzlies at the beginning of February, would be out the rest of the year due to a knee injury.

The losses of Markkanen, Nurkic and Jackson Jr. are significant from an offensive and defensive perspective. You could make the argument that these are three of the top five players on the Jazz. However one must understand, the Jazz are not playoff contenders, and it is best that these players are healthy for next season.

Markkanen is averaging 26.7 points per game, 6.9 rebounds per game, 2.1 assists per game and one steal per game. He has a field goal percentage of .477, three point percentage of .355 and a free throw percentage of .896.

Jackson Jr. is averaging 19.4 points per game, 5.7 rebounds per game, two assists per game, 1.4 blocks per game, and 1.1 steals per game. He has a field goal percentage of .476, three point percentage of .357, and free throw percentage of .803.

It is on the defensive side that Jackson Jr. has his biggest presence. Twice he has led the NBA in blocks per game (three in 2022-23 and 2.3 in 2021-22). The two-time NBA All-Star was named the NBA Defensive Player of the Year with the Grizzlies in 2022-23.