Utah Jazz center Jusuf Nurkic will miss at least four weeks after sustaining a partial plantar plate tear of the second toe in his right foot, sources told Prime Video's Chris Haynes.
Jaxson Hayes started in Nurkic's absence during Tuesday's preseason contest against the Denver Nuggets.
Nurkic tallied four points, five boards, four assists, one steal, and one block in 11 minutes during the Jazz's preseason opener.
Utah re-signed Nurkic to a two-year, $22-million contract over the summer.
The Jazz acquired the veteran big man from the Charlotte Hornets in June 2025.
Nurkic averaged 10.9 points, 10.4 boards, 4.8 assists, and 1.3 steals across 41 appearances last season. The 32-year-old became the first player in franchise history to record three consecutive triple-doubles.
