Markkanen to Have MRI After Right Ankle and Hip Injuries in Practice
markkanen-to-have-mri-after-practice-injuries
Utah Jazz forward Lauri Markkanen hurt his right ankle and right hip during practice on Wednesday and is scheduled for an MRI, The Salt Lake Tribune’s Kevin Reynolds reported.
The imaging will determine the severity of the injuries and how long the 28-year-old might be sidelined. It was not immediately clear whether the scan will focus on the ankle, the hip, or both areas.
When available this season, Markkanen has delivered near All-Star production, averaging 26.7 points, 6.9 rebounds and 2.1 assists in 34.4 minutes across 42 starts. After appearing in Utah’s first 22 games, he has played in only 20 of the past 36, missing stretches with minor ailments, including a seven-game absence in January because of illness.
The Jazz have already ruled out Jaren Jackson Jr. and Jusuf Nurkic for the remainder of the season and are focused on retaining their top-eight–protected 2026 first-round draft pick. Given that context, Markkanen could miss additional time, though the NBA fined the club $500,000 earlier this year for its handling of player availability and is expected to watch any decisions regarding the forward closely.
Utah’s next two games are home dates against the New Orleans Pelicans on Thursday and Saturday. The Jazz then host the Denver Nuggets on Monday before embarking on a three-game trip to Philadelphia, Washington and Milwaukee.
Source: Hoops Rumors
