Jusuf Nurkic to miss at least four weeks with right foot injury
Oct 7, 2026, 5:32 PM
HOUSTON, TEXAS - OCTOBER 08: Jusuf Nurkić #30 of the Utah Jazz shoots the ball against the Houston Rockets during the second half of a preseason game at Toyota Center on October 08, 2025 in Houston, Texas. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Alex Slitz/Getty Images)
(Photo by Alex Slitz/Getty Images)
SALT LAKE CITY — Utah Jazz center Jusuf Nurkic suffered a partial plantar plate tear of the second toe in his right foot and will be sidelined for at least four weeks.
Senior NBA Insider Chris Haynes was the first to report the injury news on Wednesday evening.
Jusuf Nurkic to miss at least a month of action.
— Chandler Holt (@CHoltSports) October 7, 2026
Nurkic started in Utah’s first preseason game against the Denver Nuggets at the CU Events Center on Sunday. He posted four points, five rebounds, four assists, and two stocks in 11 minutes played.
The following day, he didn’t participate in the team’s open practice due to right foot soreness. On Tuesday, he was on the official injury report with a right foot injury.
With Nurkic missing the next four weeks, he will be sidelined for the Jazz’s final two preseason games and the first eight games of the regular season. That timeline would have him be re-evaluated prior to the team’s road game in Dallas on Friday, November 6. The next home game, Tuesday, November 10, against the Miami Heat, is also worth keeping an eye on.
An already slim center rotation will have to stay afloat to start the 2026-27 campaign. Jaxson Hayes, Mo Bamba, Jaren Jackson Jr., and Kyle Filipowski are the names that will likely hold down Utah’s five-spot over the next month.
About Jusuf Nurkic
The Utah Jazz acquired Nurkic in a trade from June 2025 that sent Collin Sexton to the Charlotte Hornets.
After short stints in Phoenix and Charlotte, the Bosnian center looked to be on the down-and-out. He saw a resurgence with the Jazz in the 2025-2026 season with averages of 10.9 points, 10.4 rebounds, and 4.8 assists a game.
His impact on the season was encapsulated in late January when he set a new franchise record with a triple-double in three straight games.
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Nurkic has played for five teams during his 12-year NBA career. He has career averages of 11.8 points, 8.9 rebounds, and 2.6 assists.
