The Utah Jazz will be without Jusuf Nurkić for the rest of the 2025–26 season after the veteran center opted for surgery to repair a nose injury, according to NBA insider Chris Haynes. The procedure is scheduled for Tuesday and effectively ends Nurkić’s first year in Utah.
Third Starting Center Lost
Nurkić becomes the third Jazz center ruled out for the season:
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Walker Kessler – Shoulder surgery after just five games
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Jaren Jackson Jr. – Knee surgery shortly after being acquired from Memphis
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Jusuf Nurkić – Nose surgery (season-ending)
That’s an unprecedented hit to Utah’s frontcourt depth and a major factor in their 18–39 record, one of the worst in the NBA.
Nurkić’s Production in Utah
Despite the team struggles, Nurkić was quietly productive in his lone Jazz season:
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10.9 points
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10.4 rebounds
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4.8 assists
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1.3 steals
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50.3% FG (best since 2023–24 with Phoenix)
His passing and physical interior presence gave Utah structure on both ends, particularly with Kessler and Jackson sidelined.
Who Starts at Center Now?
With all three primary bigs out, the Jazz will turn to younger and veteran stopgaps:
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Kyle Filipowski – Expected to become the full-time starter
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Kevin Love – Likely backup and locker-room stabilizer
Filipowski now gets an extended developmental runway, which aligns with Utah’s long-term timeline.
Draft Positioning Becomes the Priority
Utah is already near the bottom of the standings and in contention for the No. 1 pick in the 2026 NBA Draft. The team was previously fined $500,000 for alleged tanking tactics, and losing Nurkić further shifts the focus toward development and lottery odds rather than wins.
This frontcourt collapse may not hurt the franchise’s long-term plan:
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More minutes for young players
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Better lottery positioning
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Cap and roster flexibility heading into the offseason
Nurkić is expected to be fully recovered by training camp, but his season-ending injury underscores how chaotic Utah’s year has been. What began as a roster built around size and versatility has turned into a developmental campaign centered on youth, draft capital, and evaluation.
For the remainder of the season, the Jazz will lean on Filipowski’s growth, veteran leadership from Love, and a clear eye on the lottery — where the real prize now lies.
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