The Jazz have lost another key player for the rest of the season.
Jusuf Nurkic is set to undergo surgery on his nose, effectively ending his season, as reported by various sources. He’s been having trouble with breathing and sleeping ever since he fractured his nose a few years back.
It’s unfortunate timing, particularly because Nurkic was having a solid season, averaging 10.9 points and 10.4 rebounds per game, shooting a decent 50.3 percent from the field. That must be frustrating for him.
He’s also contributing 4.8 assists per game this year.
This season marks Nurkic’s first with the Jazz after previous runs with the Nuggets, Trail Blazers, Suns, and Hornets. As of this offseason, he’ll become an unrestricted free agent. His four-year, $70 million contract with the Trail Blazers is set to expire. It’s interesting how contracts can shift things so quickly.
Now, he’s added to a growing list of Jazz players whose seasons have been cut short due to injuries. Recently, Jaren Jackson Jr. underwent knee surgery for a non-cancerous tumor, and Walker Kessler had a torn labrum that ended his season early in November.
On a different note, the organization has found itself in the middle of the ongoing tanking debate in the NBA.
In fact, the league has fined the Jazz $500,000 for breaching player participation rules, following an announcement made on February 7 and 9. It was revealed that Lauri Markkanen and Jackson Jr. were ejected before the fourth quarter but could have continued to play, raising questions about the game’s integrity.
