Jusuf Nurkic is expected to miss at least four weeks with a partial plantar plate tear in the second toe of his right foot, leaving the Utah Jazz without their projected starting centre as the season approaches.
NBA insider Chris Haynes reported the injury on 7 October, citing league sources. Sportsnet and Hoops Rumors both carried Haynes’ report. The immediate rotation question is whether Jaxson Hayes takes the starting job or Utah uses Jaren Jackson Jr. more often at centre.
Hayes has already had an early audition: he started in Nurkic’s absence against Denver on Tuesday. That makes him the first player fantasy managers should monitor, not an automatic replacement for everything Nurkic provides.
Nurkic’s return timeline is not a clearance date
NBC Sports’ update says Nurkic will be reevaluated after four weeks. The important distinction is that this is an assessment window, not a scheduled return to competition.
There is no firm return date in the reporting cited here. Fantasy managers should plan for an absence of at least four weeks rather than pencil him into their line-up as soon as that period expires.
The diagnosis and timeline are attributed to Haynes’ reporting, rather than a Jazz medical announcement. Multiple outlets carrying the news corroborate what was reported, but they are drawing on the same original source.
Nurkic started Utah’s preseason opener and played 11 minutes. Hoops Rumors reports that he then missed Monday’s practice and Tuesday’s game. His absence now changes the Jazz’s opening frontcourt plans rather than simply interrupting a preseason appearance.
Hayes gets the first opportunity, not guaranteed minutes
Nurkic was on track to start, according to NBC Sports. His injury therefore creates a meaningful vacancy, but Utah has several ways to fill it.
Hayes’ Tuesday start is the strongest early indication of who could benefit. Keeping him at centre would also allow Jackson to remain at power forward. Alternatively, using Jackson in the middle would change the configuration of the frontcourt, not just the name occupying Nurkic’s spot.
Hoops Rumors also identifies Kyle Filipowski and Mo Bamba as options. Until the Jazz establish their regular-season rotation, there is no confirmed minutes allocation or guarantee that one player will absorb the bulk of Nurkic’s workload.
That matters because Nurkic’s contribution extends beyond occupying the centre position. He averaged 10.9 points, 10.4 rebounds and 4.8 assists across 41 games last season, including 36 starts, figures reported by both Sportsnet and Hoops Rumors. Replacing his minutes does not necessarily replace that combination of rebounding and passing.
Fantasy impact: watch the role before buying the upside
Hayes is a watch-list option, not a guaranteed fantasy starter. His case becomes stronger if the preseason start turns into a sustained role with meaningful minutes. In deeper leagues, the opening is worth investigating; in shallower formats, opportunity alone is not enough to justify treating him as a must-add.
For Jackson, additional centre minutes are a possibility rather than a confirmed workload increase. A positional shift would not, by itself, establish that he will play more total minutes.
Nurkic managers with an injured-player slot have a straightforward way to preserve flexibility. Without one, the decision depends on bench space and replacement options. The key is to price in the reported minimum absence, not assume the reevaluation will immediately restore him to the line-up.
Utah has a starting spot to fill. Hayes has the first visible opportunity, while the eventual minutes split remains the detail that will determine the fantasy value.
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