Utah Jazz lose Jaren Jackson Jr. to knee injury

Utah Jazz forward Jaren Jackson Jr. will sit out the next six to eight weeks with a torn medial collateral ligament in his right knee. ESPN reported the diagnosis following Monday's loss to the Memphis Grizzlies. The injury occurred in the first quarter when Ty Jerome fell into Jackson's knee. Doctors determined that surgery is not required.

The Jazz suffered a second frontcourt injury in the same game. Lauri Markkanen hurt his wrist while trying to navigate a screen during the first quarter. Team officials have not yet determined the severity of Markkanen's injury. Neither player returned to the floor, and they combined for only 16 minutes of play in the defeat.

Jackson's absence creates a difficult roster problem for a team that just completed a major offseason move. Utah signed and traded center Walker Kessler to the Los Angeles Lakers in exchange for two first-round picks and two first-round swaps. Kessler has performed well in Los Angeles since the transaction. His departure left the Jazz without a long-term option at center.

Short-term starter Jusuf Nurkić is also currently injured. With both Nurkić and Jackson out, the team lacks its primary rim-protecting power forward. Utah spent the last four seasons competing for higher draft picks. This season brought higher expectations due to Keyonte George's development and the acquisition of No. 2 overall pick Darryn Peterson. The team starts the year with a 1-3 record and ranks 25th in the NBA defensively.

The Jazz hold the assets to pursue a trade if they choose to act. The Kessler deal provided the draft capital necessary for such a move. However, about 29% of NBA players are currently ineligible for trades because of contracts signed during the offseason. This limits the pool of available veterans.

For the immediate future, Utah plans to rely on its remaining big men. Jaxson Hayes, Mo Bamba, and Kyle Filipowski will start while the team waits for Nurkić to return to health. Jackson is expected to rejoin the rotation after his six to eight week absence.