Follow-up scans reveal a painful setback for Lauri Markkanen, leaving an already depleted Utah frontcourt scrambling for answers over the next month.
The Utah Jazz suffered a major blow Wednesday after medical tests revealed that forward Lauri Markkanen has two nondisplaced fractures in his right hand. The team announced that the 29-year-old will be reevaluated in four weeks, leaving his exact return timetable uncertain.
Markkanen initially hurt his hand during Utah’s Nov. 6 loss to the Dallas Mavericks. While the severity wasn't clear at first, follow-up exams confirmed the breaks. He had been off to a strong start through eight games, averaging 18.0 points, 6.8 rebounds, and 2.0 assists while shooting 39.7% from three-point range highlighted by a 24-point, eight-three-pointer outburst against Dallas before the diagnosis.
His absence leaves a massive void in Utah's offense. Markkanen's floor-spacing and versatility including filling in at center have been vital for the Jazz, especially after he averaged 26.7 points and 6.9 rebounds across 42 games last season.
The timing couldn't be worse for head coach Will Hardy, who is already missing big men Jaren Jackson Jr. and Jusuf Nurkić. With the veteran rotation depleted, Utah will lean heavily on rookie Darryn Peterson and second-year forward Ace Bailey to step into larger roles while Markkanen recovers.