With the Utah Jazz already on the NBA's radar, fans have been eagerly awaiting the latest injury update on star forward Lauri Markkanen. An MRI revealed that the 2023 All-Star and Most Improved Player of the Year has “symptomatic hip impingement with associated inflammation and bone bruise,” according to ESPN's Shams Charania. He also twisted his ankle at practice, but the results showed no damage on that front. He will be reevaluated in two weeks.
The NBA fined the Jazz earlier in February for “conduct detrimental to the league” after the team benched both Markkanen and Jaren Jackson Jr. for the entire fourth quarter in what turned out to be a 115-111 win versus the Miami Heat. Many people believe Utah will inevitably shut down its top player, and the league is also leery of the franchise's motives. Though, there is likely little that commissioner Adam Silver can do following the MRI results.
The NBA opted not to send an independent doctor to examine Markkanen, but it is keeping a close eye on the situation. It will be interesting to see how Silver and company respond to Thursday's news. The Jazz are 18-40 and currently own the sixth-worst record in the league. Their 2026 first-round draft pick will go to the Oklahoma City Thunder if they fall outside the top-eight in the lottery, so the team has all the incentive in the world to keep losing.
However, the NBA is taking a firmer stance against tanking and may not make it easy for Utah to strengthen its draft positioning. The Jazz are hardly the only squad to engage in such practices this season, but they attracted unwanted attention from the league offices.
For now, there does not appear to be any uncertainty surrounding Lauri Markkanen's status. He will miss the next several games, and then management will check back on his condition.
