Jusuf Nurkić Out at Least 4 Weeks With a Partial Plantar Plate Tear

Photo: NBA.com. Official Jusuf Nurkić headshot, Utah Jazz.

Go back to Sunday's preseason opener against Denver and watch Jusuf Nurkić for his 11 minutes. He scored four points on 1-of-5 shooting with five rebounds, four assists, a steal and a block. That was the last time he was on the floor. He sat out Monday's practice with a right foot injury and missed Tuesday's rematch with the Nuggets.

On Wednesday the diagnosis came out. Nurkić has a partial tear of the plantar plate in the second toe of his right foot and will be sidelined at least four weeks, Chris Haynes reported, and Jazz reporter Tony Jones confirmed it through his own league sources. Utah plays seven regular-season games before Nov. 4, starting Oct. 21 in Memphis, so even a clean recovery costs him the rest of the preseason and the first two weeks of the season.

Nurkić agreed in June to come back on a two-year, $22 million deal and signed it July 9. Then Utah sent Walker Kessler to the Lakers in a sign-and-trade for two first-round picks and two pick swaps. Hoops Rumors wrote that Nurkić was likely in line for a bigger role than first expected. ESPN's depth chart has him first at center, ahead of Jaxson Hayes, Kyle Filipowski, Jaren Jackson Jr. and Mo Bamba.

He earned that spot last season. Kessler hurt his shoulder five games in, Nurkić took over the middle, and he averaged 10.9 points, 10.4 rebounds and 4.8 assists before nasal surgery ended his season after 41 games. Only three players with at least 20 games hit all three of those marks last season, per ESPN: Nurkić, Nikola Jokić and Jalen Johnson. He also became the first player in Jazz history to post three straight triple-doubles.

The 4.8 assists were a career high, per the Deseret News, and ESPN reported he thrived in Will Hardy's system.

Look at who is left. Hayes signed a two-year, $12 million deal in July with a team option on the second year, and he brings size and lob finishing. Filipowski has a lower back injury and also sat Tuesday. Bamba and Jonas Aidoo are next in line for whatever center minutes are left. The other answer is Jackson at the five, with Lauri Markkanen at the four in a starting group that already includes No. 2 pick Darryn Peterson. Roundtable wrote that the frontcourt split depends on how much small ball Hardy plays with Jackson and Markkanen up front.

Nurkić has sat through a four-week foot timeline before. In February 2022, Portland ruled him out at least four weeks with plantar fasciitis in his left foot. He turned 32 in August, and this time the injury is in the other foot, two weeks before the opener.

Watch who jumps center in Memphis on Oct. 21. Four weeks from Wednesday lands on Nov. 4 at New Orleans, and "at least" means the timeline could run longer.

Sources

• Hoops Rumors: Jusuf Nurkic To Miss At Least 4 Weeks With Toe Injury. Arthur Hill, Oct. 7, 2026. Partial plantar plate tear of the second toe in his right foot; expected to be sidelined at least four weeks.
• CBS Sports / RotoWire: Jazz's Jusuf Nurkic: Out at least four weeks. Oct. 7, 2026. At least the next four weeks with a partial plantar plate tear of the second toe in his right foot; will begin the 2026-27 season on the sidelines.
• Chris Haynes on X. Oct. 7, 2026, 5:59pm CT. Partial plantar plate tear of the second toe, right foot; sidelined at least four weeks, per league sources.
• Tony Jones on X. Oct. 7, 2026. League sources confirm the report; at least four weeks with the toe injury.
• CBS Sports / RotoWire: Jazz's Jusuf Nurkic ruled out Tuesday. Oct. 6, 2026. Out for Tuesday's preseason game vs. Denver with a foot issue; Filipowski (back) also out; Hayes, Bamba and Aidoo for center minutes.
• CBS Sports / RotoWire: Jazz's Jusuf Nurkic dealing with foot injury. Oct. 5, 2026. Missed Monday practice with a right foot injury (Salt Lake Tribune); 11 minutes, 4 points on 1-of-5, 5 rebounds, 4 assists, 1 steal, 1 block in Sunday's preseason opener vs. Denver.
• ESPN: Nurkic intends to sign two-year contract with Jazz. June 29, 2026. Two years, $22 million; thrived in Will Hardy's system; 10.9 points, 10.4 rebounds, 4.8 assists; one of three players at those marks with Jokić and Jalen Johnson (min. 20 games).
• NBA.com: Nurkić set for return to Jazz on new 2-year contract. July 10, 2026. Official July 9; nasal surgery ended his season at 41 games.
• Hoops Rumors: Jazz re-sign Jusuf Nurkic to two-year deal. Kessler season-ending shoulder injury in the fifth game; Kessler signed-and-traded to the Lakers; Nurkić likely in line for a more significant role than initially anticipated.
• Deseret News: Nurkić returns to Jazz on new two-year deal. Career high in assists per game; first player in franchise history with three straight triple-doubles; turns 32 in August.
• NBA.com: Lakers add Walker Kessler in trade with Jazz. Unprotected first-round picks in 2031 and 2033 plus first-round swaps in 2028 and 2030.
• ESPN: Utah Jazz depth chart. Center order Nurkić, Hayes, Filipowski, Jackson Jr., Bamba; Peterson starting at shooting guard.
• Roundtable: Utah's crowded frontcourt. Kessler sign-and-trade; Hayes two years, $12 million, team option on year two; frontcourt minutes depend on how much small ball Hardy plays with Jackson and Markkanen; No. 2 pick Darryn Peterson.
• CBS Sports: Utah Jazz 2026-27 schedule. Oct. 21 at Memphis opener; seven games before Nov. 4 at New Orleans.
• NBA.com: Nurkic out at least 4 weeks with foot injury (2022). Feb. 23, 2022. Left foot plantar fasciitis, Portland.
• Photo: NBA.com. Official Jusuf Nurkić headshot, Utah Jazz.