Lauri Markkanen’s hand injury will keep the Utah Jazz star out for at least a month, after scans showed two non-displaced fractures in his right hand.
The Jazz confirmed on Wednesday (US time) that Markkanen hurt his hand in Utah’s game against the Dallas Mavericks on 6 November and will be re-evaluated in four weeks.
Markkanen had been playing with a sprained right wrist and was hit on the hand during the loss to Dallas, ESPN’s Shams Charania and Tim MacMahon reported. An initial X-ray did not show the fracture, but scans taken after the team returned to Utah revealed the cracks.
The 7-foot Finn, an All-Star in 2023, has averaged 18.0 points and 6.8 rebounds in eight games this season.
Jazz injury crisis deepens
Read more: Jazz Lose Lauri Markkanen and Jaren Jackson Jr. With Injuries
Markkanen’s injury is the latest blow for a Jazz side that has started the 2026-27 season with a 1-10 record.
Centre Jusuf Nurkic has yet to play this season because of a toe injury, while power forward Jaren Jackson Jr. is out for six to eight weeks after tearing the MCL in his right knee, ESPN reported. Point guard Keyonte George is day-to-day with a sprained ankle.
That leaves rookie guard Darryn Peterson as Utah’s only healthy starter. Peterson has scored 20 points or more in three straight games, including 25 points and five assists in Tuesday’s 115-109 home loss to the Miami Heat.
“There are imperfect moments… But there’s a lot of hope when I watch the team play like that,” Jazz coach Will Hardy said after the Heat game. “They’re not giving in.”
When will Markkanen return?
If he is cleared after his four-week review, Markkanen could return in early-to-mid December. The Jazz have not given a firmer timeline.
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