Utah Jazz center Jusuf Nurkić will be sidelined for at least four weeks after suffering a partial plantar plate tear of the second toe of his right foot, the team announced Wednesday — a tough blow for a team hoping to make a significant leap up the Western Conference standings this season.
The Jazz say Nurkić sustained the injury during Utah’s preseason opener against the Denver Nuggets on Sunday. It’s unclear exactly when the 32-year-old center got hurt; he checked out with 2:41 remaining in the first half, and did not return after halftime. The Jazz went on to beat the Nuggets, 109-97.
The 16th overall pick in the 2014 NBA Draft, Nurkić has averaged 11.8 points, 8.9 rebounds, 2.6 assists and 1.1 blocks in 24.5 minutes per game over the course of a 12-year NBA career that has included stints with the Nuggets, Portland Trail Blazers, Phoenix Suns, Charlotte Hornets and Jazz, whom he joined before the 2025-26 NBA season. After he made 41 appearances in Salt Lake City last season, including 36 starts, the Jazz re-signed Nurkić to a two-year, $22 million contract in free agency.
Utah Jazz center Jusuf Nurkić (left) looks to pass the ball while defended by Denver Nuggets center Nikola Jokić during a preseason NBA game on Sunday, Oct. 4 2026. (AP/David Zalubowski)
(AP Photo/David Zalubowski)
When the Los Angeles Lakers offered Utah two unprotected first-round picks plus two more pick swaps for restricted free agent center Walker Kessler, the Bosnian big man quickly jumped back up the depth chart and into the starting lineup alongside incumbent star Lauri Markkanen and trade-deadline acquisition Jaren Jackson Jr. That’s the front line that Utah started in the preseason opener — a group that allows former Defensive Player of the Year Jackson to play his more natural position at power forward, that maximizes Utah’s size and rebounding potential on the defensive end, and that gives the newly extended Keyonte George and No. 2 overall draft pick Darryn Peterson a consistent screening partner, dribble handoff hub and connective passer to pair with in head coach Will Hardy’s free-flowing offense.
The early returns were promising — Nurkić had two points, five rebounds, four assists, one block and one steal in the opener, with Utah outscoring Denver by three points in his 11 minutes of floor time — but Hardy and Co. will now have to wait a while before getting a longer look at that grouping. Nurkić will be re-evaluated in four weeks, and could be sidelined even longer; “an update will be provided at that time,” the Jazz said in their statement.
The Jazz started Jaxson Hayes in the middle in their second preseason game against the Nuggets on Tuesday. With Nurkić unavailable, the seven-year veteran figures to see an uptick in playing time and opportunities through the start of the regular season, as could third-year big man Kyle Filipowski.
Hardy could also look to shift Jackson up to the 5 spot, creating space on the wing for rising sophomore Ace Bailey to slide in alongside Markkanen, George and Peterson. The second-year pro started in place of Markkanen on Tuesday, scoring 10 points on 4-for-12 shooting with seven rebounds, three assists, one steal and one block in 27 minutes of play as the Nuggets beat the Jazz, 117-106.