The Utah Jazz's disastrous start to the season worsened on Tuesday when All-Star forward Lauri Markkanen was ruled out for at least a month with two nondisplaced fractures in his right hand.
The Jazz, who entered the year hoping to contend for a playoff spot after securing the No. 2 pick in the 2026 NBA Draft, now own the league's worst record at 1-10.
Markkanen's absence compounds frontcourt woes: center Jaren Jackson Jr. is sidelined 6-8 weeks with a torn MCL, and starting center Jusuf Nurkić has yet to play due to a preseason toe injury.
Offseason decisions have left the roster thin. The Jazz sign-and-traded former starting center Walker Kessler to the Los Angeles Lakers for draft picks; Kessler is now thriving on a Lakers team with the NBA's best record at 10-2. Utah also passed on power forward Cameron Boozer with the No. 2 overall pick despite his father Carlos Boozer's ties to the franchise; Boozer is now a Rookie of the Year contender for the 7-3 Memphis Grizzlies.
While the Jazz's long-term asset accumulation may eventually pay off — rookie Darryn Peterson has averaged 24 points over his last three games — the immediate outlook is bleak. Utah's 2027 first-round pick belongs to Memphis, so the team cannot even benefit from a high lottery selection this year.
With Markkanen out, any hope of short-term progress is on hold, raising the prospect of another lost season in Salt Lake City.
